Life's Little Quarks Arc
by megami tsuki195
Summary: The last story arc in my Ultimate Sanji Nami Romance Epic Trilogy! SxN, ZxR &implied UxK If you haven't at least read 'To Have Loved and Lost' you might be a tad confused 'cause I make references from that story. Humor romance with some angst and drama
1. Prologue

**Life's little quarks**

Sanji x Nami, Zoro x Robin and implied Ussop x Kaya

I haven't decided if I'm gonna hook up Luffy with anyone yet or not  
I'm thinking yes, but not sure who I'll dream up for him...We shall see as the story unfolds...

3rd person POV, same stroy line only diffrent POV

Well Sanji and Nami got together  
Finally!  
and got married,  
Bout damn time!  
I don't need to tell you what's next do I?

The last story arc in the Ultimate Sanji Nami Romance Epic Trilogy  
If you haven't at least read 'To Have Loved and Lost' you might be a tad confused 'cause I make refrances from that story.

**Prologue**

It only took Luffy two and a half years after becoming a pirate to ascend to the top. It was the fastest rise to infamous legendary status ever known. It had taken the previous King of Pirates, Gol D. Roger, 10 whole years to gain his title and renown.

And now some skinny little kid from East Blue does in two and a half years…

After being the first known person after Roger to reach Raftel at the end of the Grand Line and make it back in one piece, with the One Piece, Luffy's fame and renown sky rocketed.

As did his bounty.

The World Government felt the new King of Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy and his crew were far too dangers to be ignored.

Not only did the Mugiwara band have enough power and strength to successfully navigate the Grand Line and come back out alive and relatively unscathed, but also enough energy left over to take down the world most notorious pirates, as well as picking off the Governments Shichibukai one by one while they were at it including the legendary and iniquitous Dracule "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk.

--------

"Woot!" Says Zoro as his victory music plays "All that time spent leveling up sure paid off. That last boss gave me the stats boost I needed. You almost had me there but my limit break kicked in at the last possible moment…"

Zoro looks over at Mihawk

"So now that I'm like, "the best"…what now?"

"Eh, you could just wander around the world and pick up the ultimate weapons and items you missed on your first run through, play some of the mini games… also you can play again keeping all your items and stats."

Zoro nods contently "Coo."(1)

---------

On top of the Straw Hat's reputation they also had strong personal connections with the other legendary Pirates of the age including Red Hair Shanks and his crew and Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace of the Whitebeard Pirate crew.

Yes Monkey D. Luffy was too dangerous for the World Government to sit idly by and do nothing.

Luffy's Bounty skyrocketed to an obscene amount Zoro's and Robin's were tripled and prices where stamped on the heads of the other crew members and anyone who ever was associated with them…  
Except Vivi and the King 'cause they have Diplomatic Immunity.  
Woot Diplomatic Immunity.  
If there already was a bounty on affiliates, the bounty was raised.

The Navy refocused and threw all of their resources and man power into catching the Mugiwara Pirates.  
Luffy and his crew where eventually caught and sent to Rouge Town to be executed on the very place the former King of Pirates ended his reign.

The people were out raged and booed and threw rotten fruit and vegetables at the guards that led Luffy to the Execution Platform.  
Everyone who had ever come in contact with Luffy and any one of his crew members knew they weren't bad people.  
They knew the real pirates where the corrupt officials of the Navy and World Government.  
Luffy and his crew were heroes of the people.

Before The Pirate King's execution could be carried out, the people riot and tear down the execution platform.  
Luffy is kept from being executed in the Rouge Town square and escapes with his head, again, and the Mugiwara Band flee from the island, again.

The event that happened that day sent a ripple throughout the world.

People all over the world begin questioning the government.  
Navel men and women within the Navy organization begin to question their ideal of "Justice".  
There where just too many corrupt individuals in both the Navy Organization and World Government.

A rebellion of the people began.

On top of the revolution an internal civil war ensued within the governing and enforcing powers as a result and the World Government and thus the Navy Organization collapsed from the inside, greatly shifting the world power.

The world was thrown into a lawless time as what remained of the good respectable, moral, individuals of the former Navy and Government Groups did battle with the corrupt crooked individuals who banded with the notorious and more villainous pirate crews.

The world was broken between the two new factions, the evil pirate group, _The Alliance of Ultimate Powers_, and the newly reformed Government, _The United Federation of Nations_.

The Golden Time of the New Pirate age over.  
The time of fun and gallivanting was gone.  
Piracy was still going full steam ahead only now it was a game of Divide and Conquer.  
Monkey D. Luffy was king of the seas and already ahead in the game with many alliances all over the world.

Well, not that he was paying attention or anything.  
While the two factions fought for control Luffy went about business as usual adventuring and helping the oppressed and exploited.  
Not even realizing the strong allies he was making as the villages he saved from oppression and tyranny started flying his flag.  
He was just having fun making friends and having awesome adventures.

The bloody war between the factions ended once they realized the faction with the largest alliance and concentration of power was wasn't The Alliance or The Federation but the new _People's Faction_ that had risen while they weren't looking.  
The People's Faction was all the nations, islands and villages here and there who had been saved by the Mugiwara Pirates.  
Pretty soon the small dots that sporadically emerged in the wake of the Straw Hat clad sailing ship, became larger dots and wider areas, and soon they were their own unified nation.

The Federation of Nations and The People's Faction joined forces to crush the Alliance of Ultimate Powers.

Leave it up to Luffy to achieve world peace without even realizing it…

So the new world government The People's Federation of Unified Nations rose and the world was no longer lawless.  
The Dark Age was over.

However, as long as there are people, there would always be conflict…blah blah, you know the deal...

Hey, if there wasn't conflict it things would be boring.  
The important thing was that piracy became fun and carefree again!

_yo ho, yo oh a priates life for me... _

The original crew disbanded continuing after their own aims. However they stayed as close as family and everyone stays in touch.  
They all still associated themselves as Mugiwara Pirates.  
Everyone one the original crew has tattoos of the Straw Hat Jolly Roger on their left shoulder

Luffy roams the sea the head of a full armada of ships flying under the Straw Hat Sail.

Zoro becomes a wandering swords man. His days filled with sleeping and being challenged by would-be 'worlds greatest swords people', and is constantly being challenged by former Marine Tashigi. Every so often he'd be visited by Johnny and Yosaku when they needed help with a tough bounty. During his wanders he sometimes comes across Luffy and they drink and talk about old times. And at least once a year he visits Robin, Sanji and Nami.

Ussop stayed with Luffy's group as Captain of his own ship in the Mugiwara Armada with 1000 subordinates under him and is know as a great and fearsome warrior.

He went home one day to show off.

And also to visit his childhood sweet heart Kaya. They sit together under the tree Ussop use to sit in while he told Kaya stories with her sitting at her window.  
As they sit he tells Kaya "Captain Ussop's One Thousand and One _True_ Tales of Bravery and Adventure" much to Kaya's delight.

Chopper also stayed with Luffy stating "Pirate for life!" He's now Luffy's Head Physician, first mate and the Mugiwara Pirates official pet and mascot, being promoted from emergency food supply; which is now BTW, the South Bird that decided to come back with them as they passed back through Jaya on their way back through the Grand Line.

Nico Robin after finding the True History, writes the first "True History Book"  
She is now a Professor of History and Archeology at Ivy Guild University the world's largest and most prestigious university. She spends the school breaks on Archeological digs and fighting to retrieve stolen historical artifacts.

"It belongs in a Museum!" she says as she holds the priceless artifact in one hand detaining the tomb raider with 20 others. (2)

Also after realizing her biological clock was ticking away, Robin jumps Zoro and they have at least one night of passion, thought it could very well have been a very long passionate affaire…But hey I just write SaNa fics here, I'll leave this one up to you RoZo fan girls… Only one night that anyone could _pin_ on them since Robin did get knock up and the kid has a very pretty shade of blue green hair…X3

Sanji found All Blue. It was only in the most obvious place _ever_. Duh! Which of course is the _last_ place anyone ever thought to look. He sets up _The Restaurant Celest: All Blue _on an island that just happened to be right smack in the middle of that part of the sea. And because of this the island, called Cristo Island, goes from a desolate nothing piece of land to a swank island resort town.  
Sanji also, at the suggestion of his lovely wife Nami, launches his own series of cook books called Hardy Healthy Recipes to Feed an Army on a Shoe String Budget and one cook book called From the Tangerine Groove that consist of Bellmere's and Sanji's best Tangerine recipe's.  
All the profits of the books go towards '_Bellmare's Home for Orphaned and Underprivileged Children'_ ran by Nojiko, on Cocoyashi in the place where Arlong Park once stood. The establishment helps orphans and foster children find loving homes. They also have lobbyist fighting for children rights and laws against child labor.  
Sanji's father comes to live on the island to be close to his family and help Sanji cook in his packed nightly restaurant.

Nami publishes the first ever complete book of maps of the Grand Line…it does help people a little bit in navigating the treacherous waters, though it doesn't really help more people get through necessarily since she never published the log books along with them. Those where the pride of her and the crew…their blood and sweat went into those books and like hell she was just gonna had them over.And since money didn't really mean anything to her anymore… I mean her and Sanji we're ricer than God and his stupid flying gold ship anyway… no publisher could pay any amount of money for them and anyone _stupid _enough to try and get them by force got beat down by her loving and _extremely _protective husband.  
Once a year she takes time out four to eight weeks at a time to go on mapping and surveying expeditions and with the help of a crew she's able to recover the work she lost during the fall of Arlong Park and is still working towars a map of the whole world...

So with all that said and done…  
What's everyone's favorite Cook and Navigator up to now?

* * *

The first bit of the last story in the trilogy.  
The other chapters will slowly trickle in as I'll be moving in a few weeks...  
I could try and bang it all out this week...but I won't promise anything. 

OK! Here's the part where I show the world what a super uber geek I am :D

(1) I took thermopylae's idea in '_Parodies of the One Piece Kind_' and take it to the next step. If you haven't read it you should cause it's funny as hell XD

So you get to the end of a FF game or really any RPG and you come up against the Supreme Boss of the Universe who's like God or The Ultimate Solder that has the strength of 10 Super Sayan's, you beat 'em and then you're like…well now, that was 80 hours of my life well spent, but... what will I do with my time now?

Hmm FF12 comes of in September...what to play til then?

(2) So Robin is now Indiana Jones in case you're too young to catch the reference there… jezz I'm a geek _and_ I'm getting old…

(3) So Sanji's dad has a restaurant on Monte Island and Sanji now has one on Cristo Island. There was a time in my life I went through a French Lit phase. A shiny gold star to those who can make the connection.  
Should be easy since there was lame movie adaptaion staring Guy Pirece...

I show my Gundam Wing otakuness with the Fedration, Aliance and Unifide Nation thing going on...just throw some hot guys, mechs and two siblings fighting on oppisite sides and we have the next gundam series...hmm, Gundams and Pirates... it could _totaly _workor how about Gundam flying Pirate _Ninjias _...oh ya!

Ok, ya it's late and I've had way too much cafeen today...


	2. Life’s precious moments

**Life's precious moments **

Brief smut bits of angst  
Spelling and Grammar Nazi's beware…

As Nami's back hits the bed Sanji catches her lips in a deep loving kiss.  
Her legs are raped tightly around Sanji's waist to keep him sheathed deep inside of her.  
Nami moans into their kiss.  
Sanji pulls away and presses his soft lips and hot tongue to Nami's neck.  
She gives a pleasurable moan and lets her head hang off the end of the bed.

"Sanji." She breaths "that feels so good."

Small quite gasps escape her lips in time with Sanji's hard steady rhythm.

"Yes" She gasps "Oh yes."

Nami smiles and cracks her eye lids open.  
After a moment her eyes shoot wide open with a bit of shock.

"Sanji! Sanji stop."

Sanji stops dead in his tracks. "What?" He looks at her worried "What's wrong?"

Nami takes a handful of his hair and yanks it forcing him to look up.  
His eyes go wide with shock like Nami's did, but in the next instant they soften and he smiles.

"Hey sweetie." He says sweetly to his adorable precious four year old daughter who's standing partly in the door way of their bed room hugging her favorite bunny plushie.

Sanji immediately sits up bring Nami up with him grabbing her robe and his pajama pants at the same time.

"What's wrong Serenity?" Sanji asks.

She shies away a bit.

Sanji leans over to the side to look around his little girl "Hey buddy."

Alex, their oldest peeks into view behind his little sister.  
Sanji and Nami knew they hadn't woken them up by being too loud.  
They mastered the fine art of 'keeping it quite' while the children were babies.  
They knew their daughter hadn't been traumatized by the sight of seeing them… well, so passionately intertwined.  
Sanji had started to give the children "the talk" when Serenity was three.  
Not all the complicated details mind you, just the simple basic things.

--------

"Where is that book?" Sanji frustrated digging through boxes his father had dropped off that had all of Sanji's childhood things.

"Ah, hey it's Usa-chan." Sanji pulling out a fluffy bunny plushie. "Wow! I haven't seen you in years!" He smiles affectionately at the bunny recalling fond memories of his early childhood.

Then Usa-chan gets tossed over Sanji's shoulder as he continues his rummage.

Nami is standing slightly behind and to the side of Sanji dodging the castings of her foraging husband. "Sanji what _are_ you doing?"

Alex is standing behind his mother with his little sister next to him holding his hand. "Daddy's makin' a mess." He states

"Yes Alex, he sure is." Nami agreeing with her observant son

"I'm looking for something important and useful." Defends Sanji

"Daddy loss somesing?" asks Serenity

"Well sweetie." Sanji smiles at his little girl. "It's not that I _lost_ it, I just can't find where dad put it."

Serenity looks up at her big brother confused. Alex shrugs and gives her a look telling her he's confused as well. Alex and Serenity look to their mother.

Nami sighs "Daddy knows whatever it is he's looking for is in one of the boxes but he doesn't know which one because granddad packed them a long time ago." She explains to the children. She tilts her head to the side dodging another flying object.

Serenity walks over to Usa-chan and picks him up. She then walks over to one of the boxes and takes the lid off and starts pulling things out of the box with one hand still holding the bunny in the other.

Sanji stops rummaging and looks at his daughter. "What are you doing Serenity?"

"Help Daddy fine 'is loss tingy." She says

Sanji smiles "Thanks sweetie."

Alex comes over a helps too. Nami sighs and sits by a box "So what are we looking for?"

Sanji looks around and smiles at his family.

Nami had been against Sanji's idea of giving the children "the talk" but he had explained that it wouldn't be the _whole_ talk. Just the simple basic things and only enough the kids would understand. He stated that if they started early explaining this sort of thing to the children now, then it would be easier to talk about it when the children are older when all the serious issues would arise.

"This isn't something you want children to be ignorant about Nami." Sanji says  
"If we wait till they're a bit older, then they'll be in that "ew that's gross stage" and won't want to hear about it, and then if we wait until they're teens… well it might be a bit late. They'll find out from their friends and what the hell are their friends gonna know? Wouldn't you rather them find out from us and have the truth and the facts? And what about this strait forward blunt honesty we have between us now? It's ok when it with us but not with our children? If we're honest and up front with them from the beginning then they'll tend to be honest and up front with us too. Plus it'll be easier for them to ask us questions…"

Over their years together Nami had discovered that Sanji wasn't the idiot and moron he acted like. In fact, after they got married Sanji stopped acting like a complete doofus almost entirely. He still did the lavish complements and still acted pretty much like a happy little tail wagging puppy dog.

But he didn't flirt with every single pretty girl that came into his sight. He'd smile at them, make polite conversation with some sometimes, but he didn't submit to any other woman but Nami. He was totally and completely loyal to Nami and other women never affected Sanji quite the same way again.

Another thing that Nami discovered was that Sanji did have a backbone and could be assertive if he wanted to. Key phrase being: 'if he _wanted_ to'.  
The thing was, most of the time, Sanji was laid back and didn't care one way or the other about most things. Whatever Nami wanted was fine and he'd go along without fuss.  
However if there was something Sanji felt strongly about, and Nami discovered there were things Sanji did feel strongly about, Sanji would make a stand and argue his point.  
Sanji at could invoke his fathers 'I'm putting my foot down and that's how it's gonna be' authoritive power and influence. Though it wouldn't be as demanding as all that… They'd discus it, Nami saying why or how something should or shouldn't be and Sanji saying why or how they shouldn't and should be. Nami soon found out that Sanji was a master of debate and extremely articulate.  
Nami finally realized that if Sanji felt strongly that something should be certain way then he had a good reason for it. Then usually all it would take for Nami to go along with it would be hearing Sanji's reasoning behind it. What Sanji said would, more often than not, make complete sense and she could easily go along with it.

Giving their children "the talk" when they were only 3 and 4 respectively however was not something Nami felt Sanji could talk her into going along with.

Nami had been standing with her arms crossed. She moves her eyes to look at Sanji and exhales through her nose.  
Sanji and Nami had come up with a 'Complete and open honesty' policy with each other. No secrets no lies. No half truths, no not telling the whole truth, no leaving out little details. Well, exceptions where made, when it came to surprises and gifts and things like that, but other then that, complete honesty.

"We have it with each other, why not with the children?" asks Sanji

"Because they're young and there are things their young minds can't grasp yet." Says Nami

"But if it things are explained to them little by little simply and in ways they can grasp, then they'll understand. Children are smarter than adults give them credit for." Sanji counters. "True they're young. But this is a ripe age. Children do their most important mental growth and development before they reach the age of 5. Once they reach that age the majority of their personality traits are set. Don't we want our children to be informed and open minded?"

"Damn him and his wisdom." She thinks  
Nami was caving to Sanji's logic once again.

"Plus it's a prefect time to explain to them what's going on with you. And tell them about the baby… that they'll have a new brother or sister soon…" Sanji adds strengthening his position.

Nami was pregnant. Again.  
Planed mind you, very planed.  
They had actually been trying for awhile for a third, but that was another story however…  
She was only 4, almost 5, months along but she was starting to show and soon her stomach would be big and round and Alex and Serenity would be asking questions. When she was pregnant with Serenity, Alex was still a baby, the two were only 11 months apart. So they didn't have to explain mommy's big tummy to him, but this time around…

Nami sighed knowing she had lost this debate.

The book Sanji had been looking for was called 'Where did I come from?' and it explained about reproduction and was written specifically for very young children.

Sanji started out with reading Alex and Serenity the book, which told in simple language and basic detail about sex and how babies come from "mommies and daddies" having sex. No stork nonsense for their children. It was a rather cute book actually and the children seemed to enjoy it.  
After the book Sanji reinforced the content by showing the children pictures of Nami when she had been pregnant.

"See." Says Sanji with the children both in his lap and the photo album in front of them. "See how big Mommy's tummy was? That's because Alex was in there."

"Bruder was eside Mommy's tummy?" asks Serenity in awe

Sanji smiles "He sure was."

Serenity looks at her brother and then up at her father "But he's too big! How dud he fit?"

Sanji laughs "Well he was smaller before."

"Smaller?" asks Serenity

"Yup!" Sanji takes Usa-chan from Serenity and holds him in his hands "He was only about this big when he was inside Mommy. Babies are small." Sanji turns the pages to when Alex was first born and points to a picture of Nami holding him. "See. Look how small he was."

"Wow." Says Serenity

"Senatee was i'side Mommy too?" asks Alex

"Yup, she sure was." Sanji switches to the album that has Serenity's pictures "Here she is." Showing the pictures of Nami when she was pregnant with Serenity.

The children giggle and look through the pictures of them when they were babies.

Nami smiles as she watches them.  
Sanji with their two children showing them pictures talking about how they grew inside their mother's tummy.  
They're eyes were wide with interest, wonder, excitement.

Sanji never ceased to amaze her.  
She always knew he'd be a wonderful father.  
He had a way of talking to the children in ways they could understand. He never talked down to the children or spoke to them in an undermining way.

Nami knew that when Sanji was little he hated how Zeff had always treated him like a child and talked to him like he didn't know anything. How everyone always laughed as his dream and never took him seriously. He had been forced to face harsh reality so early in life, robbed of his childhood and forced to grow up so fast.

One time back when they were on the Going Merry, after they had gotten together and before they had gotten married, Sanji told Nami that this was the first time he had been around people his own age, the first he had had real friends.  
There hadn't really been any children on Monte Island for him to play with. And after his mother died and his father went away, he went off to continue his chef's apprentice elsewhere. There were rarely other children around, and even if there were, he'd be busy in the kitchen. Sanji's time sailing with Luffy and everyone had been his chance to be a little kid again. Though he seemed annoyed sometimes with Luffy and Ussop's childish carefree nature, he would usually find himself right in with them and their juvenile high jinks.

And now that he had children of his own he wanted to make sure he treated them with the respect he wished he would have gotten. He encouraged their thinking and asked their options and he didn't laugh when what they said sounded silly or ridiculous or impractical. He also let them run and play and be children. He always stopped Nami for reprimanding them for getting all dirty and ruining their cloths.

"They're kids Nami." He would tell her smiling "They run around and play, they get messy. Don't you remember how much fun it was to play in the mud and get dirty and not care?"

And then she would remember. She remembered how her and Nojiko would run around and play in the tangerine grove. They always managed to get covered in mud and have leaves and twigs all in their hair. Then they would laugh and giggle while Bellmare-san hosed them down before she would let them set foot in the house. Nami remembered what it was like for her growing up. Bellmare always guiding her, and supporting her gift and never laughing at her dream. She would remember and smile when she thought of that wonderful blissful time of her life.

Nami smiled at her husband and their precious children.

Now they both get to relive that time now, with their own children. They could listen to their dreams and remember how nice it was to dream and realize that they could still dream even now. It was ok for the kids to play in the mud and hell they could play in the mud right along with them too.  
There were times to be a parent, but also there were times they could let themselves be children again.

Nami comes over and sits with her family.  
She wraps her arms around Sanji's neck and kisses him on the cheek.  
Her children wrap their arms around her and shower her with loving hugs and hugs sweet kisses.  
Then they play, 'Tickle Daddy and pin him down.'  
They all laugh as they play.

Alex and Serenity are exited when their parents tell them Mommy was going to have another baby and soon they would get to see her tummy get big for themselves.

Alex puts his hands on Nami's stomach "A baby's growing in Mommy now?"

"Yup." Smiles Nami "Soon you'll have another little brother or sister."…

---------------

"What's the matter?" Sanji asks his timid little girl again.

Serenity shies away from her father's inquiry hugging her, once Sanji's, bunny tighter and holds her brothers hand.

"Alex?" Sanji redirects to the five year old.

"She hadda bad dream." He tells his father.

Sanji looks at Serenity and smiles kindly. "A bad dream?"

Serenity nods

"Aw. Come here and tell Daddy about your scary dream."

Serenity lets go of her brother's hand and goes over her parent's bed.  
She sets down her plushie so she can use both hands to climb up.  
Then she picks up her plushie and walks over to her father and plops down inside the circle of his long legs.

Sanji wraps his strong arms and legs around his little girl holding her close and lets her feel their warmth and the strong yet gentle security, letting her know she was safe and that nothing was going to hurt her while she was in the protective bubble that her father created for her. She rests her head against Sanji's chest letting herself sink in to the warmth and security he offered her.

Sanji looks over at his son standing alone in the door way.  
He makes a beckoning gesture with his head for him to come over too.  
Nami smiles at him patting the bed by her telling him to come sit by her.  
Alex comes over and climbs on the bed and sits by his mother and lays his head in her lap.

"Come on sweetie, what was in your scary dream?" Asks Sanji soothingly

"A scary clown." Serenity says in her small quite voice.

"A scary clown?" he says in that artificially shocked, yet caring and apathetic tone adults take with children.

"Uh hu." Serenity says on the edge of tears as she relives the horrors of her dreadful dream. "He wasa scary piate clown witha big red nose an he was laughing and chasing me…an his arms came off an chased me too an tried ta get me."

Sanji and Nami looked at each other.

"I told Ussop those stories were too scary to tell the kids" says Nami annoyed

Ussop and Luffy had been over last weekend and they had started to tell the kids about all of Uncle Luffy's grand adventures.  
Nami had put a stop to it in the middle of the fight with Buggy the Clown right after Ussop and Luffy had dramatically acted out the part of Zoro's battle with Buggy where Buggy's hand comes flying off and stabs Zoro in the back.

True they believed in honesty and accurate truth for their children, but there was one exception Nami was able to get Sanji to agree upon.  
Little children didn't need to be exposed to violence or anything that would scare them unnecessarily.

Luffy's poor artistic ability had made his Buggy mask look less like a the ridiculous and silly looking image of the Clown Pirate and more like a deranged killer clown from a horror movie. To top it off Ussop gave a rather dramatic and realistic performance of being stabbed in the back, using fake blood and a prop knife…

Alex ended up wide eyed clinging to Nami as if his life depended on it and Serenity was in tears thinking Ussop really was badly hurt…  
While Sanji unclenched his sons hand from Nami's shirt and soothed his crying daughter. Nami gave the two wanna-be thespians a harsh tongue lashing, and a real lashing to go along with it.

"Don't be scared of that stupid clown Senatee." Alex tells his sister "Uncle Luffy kicked his butt along time ago."

"That's right sweetie" Sanji tells Serenity "And if that clown ever comes around again, Uncle Luffy will kick his butt again."

"And dad will too!" Adds Alex

Serenity looks up at her father who smiles down at her. "'Cause Daddy's rully rully srong?"

Alex and Serenity had seen their father in action a few times.  
Some times idiot pirates would foolishly come by force to demand Nami's log books of the Grand Line.  
And even though Nami would make them stay up in their rooms and Sanji would take things outside, Alex and Serenity would watch from their window and see their father, who was skinny and scrawny in comparison to the big intimidating men that came, take down the big scary men easily.  
Alex and Serenity knew their father was strong and would protect them from harm.

Sanji beams at his little girl "You bet." And with that he squeezes Serenity tightly with his arms and legs.

Serenity laughs "Daddy you're skeezin' too tight."

Sanji lets go of his daughter and smiles down at her "Daddy won't let anything scary get you ever. Ok?"

"Kay." Says Serenity.

"You want Daddy to read you a story to help you go back to sleep?"

Serenity nods.

"Ok, well go get a book for Daddy to read."

Serenity climbs off the bed and runs to go to find a book.

Meanwhile crying comes from behind the folding screen at one side of Sanji's and Nami's room, where the baby crib is.

"Oh, it's Xander." Says Nami intuitively, getting up and going over to the crib.

She picks up her baby boy and holds him close. "Shush shush." She sooths "You're going to wake up your sister."

Xander's twin sister Lily was still sleeping soundly in the crib.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Nami checks his dipper. "You're not wet or poopy… you hungry?" She sits back down on the bed and tries to nurse him but he doesn't seem to be hungry. "What's the matter baby?" she asks Xander

"Maybe he hada scary dream too." Suggests Alex. He's on his knees looking down at his Baby brother.

"Maybe." Says Nami. "Is that it? Did a scary clown chase after you too?"

"It sokay Xa'der." Says Alex "Big bruder won't let anysing scary get you. Ok?" He takes his baby brother's hand and lets the tiny infant squeeze his fingers.

"Hear that? Your big brother's here to watch out for you." Nami tells Xander

Alex smiles at Xander and makes a funny face at him.  
Xander sees his brother's silly face and stops crying.  
Alex makes another funny face making the baby laugh.

Nami smiles "You like it when Big Brother makes funny faces don't you?"

Serenity comes back in with her book and climbs back up on the bed.

"Baby wans ta hear a story too?" she asks

"Looks like it." smiles Sanji

Serenity is on Sanji's chest and Alex is next to him with his head lying next to Serenity.

Nami holds Xander rocking him back to sleep while Sanji reads their children a story.

By the time the story is finished all the children are sound a sleep. Nami lays Xander back down next to his sister. She comes back over to lovingly kiss her husband.

"I love you Sanji." She whispers

"I love you too.

Nami climbs back into bed and shifts Alex over so Sanji has room to slide Serenity down onto the bed.

She stirs a bit but only hugs her bunny closer.

The children get kisses on the head from their parents before they lay down and pulls the warm covers up over them.

* * *

Ok… who else had that book "Where did I come from?" X3 

Yes, there actually is a children's book that tells little kids about sex and child birth. With pictures and everything… not realistic pictures mind you, but like cartoon pictures, and no they don't show the parents having sex for real… just them in bed together with the covers over them and little hearts floating around… I really should find that book…

If you haven't heard of it, look it up on Amazon or something.


	3. To Have Loved and Lost and Love again: 1

As you may know, or not know, I moved to Japan to teach English in the middle of August. Thus the reason for it being so long since I updated…

That and this chapter has been harder than the rest to write and string together the pieces….

Kay, so this chapter is reeealy long… Plus I'm not exactly finished yet ; …. so to make things easier, give you the update many have been patiently waiting for and give me a buffer to finish the conclusion, I'll break this up into parts.

So here I give you.

**To Have Loved and Lost and Love again: pt 1**

**Mini Side Arc**

Quite a lot had happened with Sanji and Nami before Alex, Serenity and the twins came along. This arc begins before the children are born…

This is going back to the style of the Origonal story 'To Have Loved and Lost'  
So that means:  
Angst! Lots and lots of it and oooh the drama! And most of it directed at Sanji... poor Sanji kun. Though, Sanji's such and easy target for angst, plus I thought Nami had lots of angst and issues in the first story so now it's Sanji's turn…  
But it'll end with lots of fluff and sap to make up for it

----------

A few months ago Nami had made a decision.  
A decision she neglected to tell Sanji about.  
True it was something she _should_ have discussed with Sanji, but she figured he'd like the idea anyway so there was no need talk to him about it first.

"In fact," she had thought "He'd love the idea so much, why not make it a surprise for him?"

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The result of her decision was coming along quite nicely and the next phase was going to begin soon.  
Today, after a visit with an old friend, Nami was going to tell Sanji all about her little plot.  
If Nami hadn't been the victim of _extremely_ bad timing, the whole thing might have gone better.

Nami is coming back from seeing her friend and heading towards the boardwalk where the restaurant _Celeset: All Blue_, Sanji and Nami's work place and home, resides.  
As Nami approaches, she notices a rather strange boat docked in the harbor.  
It looks like a large house boat with a fish head and tale.

"What's Baratte doing here?" Nami wonders "Zeff was just here a few weeks ago…"

Nami heads for the floating restaurant. As she gets closer she sees Patty and the other fighting chiefs standing around outside.

"Hey guys." Nami greets them cheerfully "How's it going."

"Ah! Nami san!" Patty and the others seem externally happy to she her.

"What's up guys? Zeff was just visiting a few weeks ago." Nami smiles. "Where is the old guy? Does Sanji know you're here yet?"

The chefs smiles all faded quickly and they all look troubled.

"What?" inquires Nami.

Patty steps forward "Well Sanji does know we're here… and well, Zeff is…"

Before Patty could finish there was a loud raging scream followed by a chair crashing though a window not but five feet away.

"What the!" Nami's shock and surprise. "Who the hell did that?"

"That would be Sanji I imagine." Says one of the other chefs

"Sanji? What the hell has gotten into him?" Nami walks over to the entrance, throws open the door and marches into Baratte to find out what her husband could possibly be rampaging about.

Inside the restaurant was as if a typhoon hit. Tables, chairs and dishes where in pieces everywhere.  
In the center of the carnage Nami sees other fighting chefs are trying to detain Sanji, the human typhoon with little avail.  
Nami marches straight towards her husband.

"Ah! Nami san!" one of the downed chefs calls "Watch out! None of us can hold him back."

Sanji was completely out of control and blind with rage for some reason. Anyone that went near him was sent flying.

"What the Hell has gotten into Sanji?" Nami thinks "Did he and the old man get into a fight again? Zeff is going to freak once he sees what Sanji has done to his precious restaurant. Where is he anyway?"

Nami pays no heed to the warnings. She just goes right up to Sanji as he begins to turn and strike out against the new individual that dare come near him during his moment fury.  
Nami stands firm and faces him dead on.

Sanji's leg stops cold inches from Nami's face and she doesn't so much as blink. He's frozen as if someone just hit the pause button on him.  
The other fighting chefs blink in amazement. All of them combined couldn't stop Sanji's rampage, yet all she did was stand before him and he was obstructed.  
But it was simple. Sanji, under no circumstances, could harm a woman. Not even in a blind fit of rage. It was hard wired into his head. His leg comes down slowly and he stands before Nami in silence.

Nami steps closer to Sanji to look him in the face while she scolded him. However, when looking into his eyes, her anger quickly changes to worry and unease. Sanji's eyes are wide and blankly staring. Nami looks deeper into Sanji's eyes and sees that behind them his mind racing. He was obliviously deeply troubled and disturbed by something.  
It was rare for Sanji to act out like this, but it happened sometimes. Times when Sanji had conflicts with the deep inner darkness of his mind, Sanji would lash out and then collapse in on himself and have moments of inner torment and aguish.  
This was one of those times. Anger, rage, hurt, betrayal, depression and a million other unhappy emotions all swirled in the blank staring void of Sanji's eyes.  
…..

During that monumental moment of truth for them years ago, when lines were crossed and barriers were torn down, when Nami could no longer hide her feelings and Sanji would no longer wait idly by while the chance for true love was finally within his grasp, everything changed; mostly for the good, but there had been some negative side effects of tearing down all the barriers and walls.

Sanji had effectively torn down Nami's walls and barriers, but at the same time Sanji's were shattered as well. Neither of them realized the effect that would take.

Nami had always had a sneaking suspicion there was something more behind Sanji's split personality, the way one moment he'd be serious and act relatively normal and then once a pretty girl came into his line of sight he'd become a complete dork. He had told Nami once that he was that way so he wouldn't get as hurt when he was rejected by a girl; he'd play it off as 'oh you know me, I'm just a clown'. Sanji was a clown. But Nami realized later it was in the since that he lived to make others happy, yet his own happy smile was just a mask.

It wasn't until after that monumental event that Nami realized how much better Sanji had been at hide his emotions than she had been. With Nami, everyone knew she had barriers and wore many faces. But with Sanji, no one had had a clue.

The problem surfaced completely one day maybe a month after their wedding. Nami had sensed something was troubling Sanji. She asked what was bothering him but he just smiled his usual happy goofy smile and said "nothing." But it didn't convince her. It was then Nami saw the mask was a mask for the first time ever. It was like seeing what theater make up looked like up close and away from the stage lighting. She had let it go that moment but later that day she came into the kitchen and she heard Sanji talking to himself.  
It was low mumbling and she couldn't make out what he was talking about but he seemed stressed and agitated.  
Nami was busy trying to hear what he was talking about to himself that she had jumped when he yelled out.

"Fuck." He cursed and held his bleeding hand that he had just cut.

"Sanji are you ok?" Nami rushed over to him

Sanji spun around in surprise. He hadn't realized she had been there.

"Ah! Nami!"

Nami saw in his face he had been agonizing over something but as soon as she blinked the mask was perfectly placed.  
Nami froze with shock and astonishment with just how flawless the change had been. If it weren't for her gut wrenching instinct, she would have thought she just imagined Sanji's aguish and despair.

Sanji laughed and smiled his usual happy smile "You surprised me. You're like a cat some times."

The smile radiated 'Sanji-kun is never sad silly! Always happy.' But Nami now knew that was all part of the spell Sanji wove. It was an illusion, like that mind trick that one religious warrior sect used that worked on the weak minded…  
- waves hand in front of your face "Sanji is always happy"… "Sanji is always happy" you mindlessly repeat… (1)-  
Nami takes Sanji's hand and looks at the cut. It was a nasty cut, but nothing serious.

Sanji laughs "I was bit careless." He says in his 'ah silly me' tone "I need to be more careful." Sanji moves to take back his hand from Nami but she doesn't let go. All she can do is stare at the wound and fret.  
Her mind was racing "How could I have not seen this? How could I have been so blind? I knew it! I _knew_ there was something off about him but I just ignored it. I didn't see it because I didn't want to see it."  
Nami couldn't stop the first tear from spilling.

"Ah. Nami…it's just a cut. It's not bad. No reason to cry." he smiled his big sweet 'everything's ok' smile "I'm fine Nami."

That was the straw that broke the camels back. Something inside Nami snapped.  
"NO YOU'RE NOT FINE!" She screamed

Sanji was naturally shocked.

Nami broke down in tears. "You're not fine." She sobbed in a smaller voice.

"Nami…" Sanji reached out to her, his voice calm, comforting… another mask, another shield. He would hide his pain by soothing another's…  
Not this time. Nami drew back from him.

"No!" She looked up at Sanji and stared him fiercely in his eyes. "You can't hide from me behind your mask anymore Sanji!"

Sanji reacted as if she had slapped him. Shock covered his face but also something else that he was trying desperately to hide and not show. Fear. Fear that Nami saw though the mask he carefully crafted and perfected over the years.  
But Sanji couldn't hide it. The fear seeped though. Sanji turned to look away from Nami but she caught his face in her hands and turned his face back to hers.  
But his eyes wouldn't look at her.

"Sanji." Nami's voice was soft, gentle "You don't have to hide any more… not from me."

Sanji's eyes looked at her. They were wide like a frightened child's and moist with restrained tears.

Nami gave her lover a look of kindness and compassion. "I love you Sanji. You know that right?"

Sanji nodded blinking back tears.

"You trust me don't you?"

Sanji nodded again and Nami caressed Sanji's cheek brushing away the first escaping tear.

"Then talk to me love." Nami whispered "What's wrong?"

Sanji shook his head and his eyes looked away again. He was scared. Nami saw that. She knew his feeling because she had been in the same position before.  
If he talked about it, he would lose it, he would break down. He didn't want to lose it. That was weak. He was a man and men can't show weakness.

"Sanji." Nami continuing her soft calm tone. "It'll be ok. It'll hurt to re opening the wound, but you can't let it keep festering."

Sanji looked back at Nami, and understood. Talking about his mother's death had opened up a big emotional scar and it had been painful. But he had felt better after.

"Let go Sanji." Nami whispered "Tell me. What has you so upset?"

"Today's my mother's birthday." He whispered as more tears escaped.

Nami's face filled with empathy "Oh sweetie." She wrapped her arms around him.

"I haven't been like this in years Nami." Sanji whispered trembling. "Not since she was first gone. Every year for over ten years I haven't felt this way, reacted this way, I can usually keep it under control. Why now?"

"Because Sanji," Nami says softly "I forced you to open the door you locked you're feelings behind. You can't lock them away anymore. I'm sorry, I know it hurts. Believe me; I've felt this same pain. I still feel it. But it'll get better. Slowly, very slowly, but it will. This will help, if you just let go."

Sanji clung to her and finally let go. More tears fell and a gasping sob escaped his lips. Sanji legs gave way and he sunk to the floor.  
Nami came down with him. She held him and cradled his head against her chest.  
Sanji finally let go and let himself cry.

It was the first time he had cried so hard in front of Nami.  
He cried harder than when he left Barrate to go off pirating with Luffy.  
Sanji hadn't cried like this since he had been a child.  
Not since his mother first died.

After putting on a brave strong face for the father that had become a broken shell of a man, after years of keeping his pain and sorrow repressed, years of building layers of barriers and locking the memory behind chains and heavy doors. The bubble keeping all that deep inside had finally been burst and Sanji finally could bring himself to truly weep for the loss of his mother after years of keeping it bottled up.Sanji wept and sobbed and cried his eyes out.  
He cried even after there were no more tears left to shed.  
And Nami held him and let him weep.  
She knew sometimes, one just needs to have a good cry.

Forcing the scar that was the death of Sanji's mother open had cracked the rest of his barriers. He could no longer push feelings he didn't want to feel to the back of his mind and lock them away. Nami had opened Pandora's Box and he couldn't lock away his and sorrows back into it any more.

So now whatever feeling Sanji felt he showed it, radiated it. When he was happy you knew it and you were a happy too, when he was sad you could tellyou're your heart ached to see it. When he was angry you sure as hell knew it a prayed it wasn't you he was pissed at.

Standing in the middle of Barrate surrounded by wreckage, Sanji was obviously pissed about something.  
Sanji's body was tense and his eyes were blank and unfocused as he was lost within depths of his mind.

Nami reached out and touched Sanji's face. "Sanji." Said calmly

Sanji's body relaxed a bit and his eyes weren't blank anymore.

"Sanji." Nami says again and Sanji's eyes move to look at her.

"Nami." Sanji says quietly finally registering her presence.

"Sanji what's gotten into you?" Nami asks gently "You've gotten angry before but you've never done something like this."

Sanji looks around to see the state his rampage left the Dinning room.

"What happened Sanji? Did you and Zeff have a fight?"

Anger flares up in Sanji's eyes again, but he doesn't say anything. Sanji closes his eyes biting his top lip, his head shaking rapidly. He tenses up again. Sanji turns away from Nami and clings to himself, trying to keep himself from lashing out again.

"Well it definitely has something to do with Zeff." Nami thinks but she was no closer to figuring out what sent Sanji into his rage than she was a moment ago. Sanji was radiating a large number of emotions at the moment, mostly anger but also pain, agony and betrayal as well.  
From this Nami gathered that Zeff had done something to Sanji to make him feel betrayed.

Nami gave a heavy sigh. She looked around at the damage Sanji inflicted during his fit of rage. "Danm." Nami thought "What the hell did Zeff do?"

After assessing the damage Nami thought out loud "Zeff is gonna freak when he sees this…"

After saying this Nami was shocked by a loud thunderous raging scream.  
Nami wheels back around to see Sanji send a table crashing through another window.

"It doesn't matter any more!" Sanji screams in anger and agony

"What do you mean Sanji?" Nami keeping calm. "Tell me Sanji. What's wrong?"

"He's gone!" Sanji screams. He sinks to the floor "He's gone." He says in a smaller whimpering voice tears begin to stream down his cheeks.

* * *

(1) Yes I'm talking about the Jedi Mind Trick... you guys already know I'm a geek... ;p 


	4. To Have Loved and Lost and Love again: 2

"It doesn't matter any more!" Sanji screamed in anger and agony  
"He's gone!" Sanji screams. He sinks to the floor "He's gone." He says in a smaller whimpering voice tears begin to stream down his cheeks.

Nami goes to the floor immediately and wraps her arms around her forlorn husband. He clings to her and weeps.  
Nami tried to be comforting, but she was also shocked distraught by the news.

"What do you mean 'he's gone'? He was just here a few weeks ago… did something happen? Was there some kind of accident?"

Sanji's anger flares up again and he pushes away from Nami a bit and turns away shaking his head

"No." he managed to say before he gets up and walks away a bit.

Sanji didn't elaborate; he just stood hugging himself again shaking his head.  
Nami stands and looked around at the other chefs for an explanation. The rest had come in from out side and the whole group of them had been huddled together on one side of the room.

Patty steps forward. "Well…you see." He started "Zeff had been… sick for quite a while."

"Sick?" Nami questioned

"It was a terminal illness. He had been going thought treatment for a while, but it was only to slow it down, give him a few years… last month the doctors told him there was nothing more they could do and that he should get his final affairs in order…"

Nami's eye's narrowed "So that's what prompted his surprise visit."

The chefs all nodded.

Everyone was startled when Sanji spoke again. "He was dieing and didn't even tell me anything was wrong. When he had been here I asked him to come back and spend Christmas with us this year and he said sure, he'd like that. When he left here I said "see you at Christmas" and he smiled and nodded…"

Sanji was crying again. Nami could hear it in his voice. "He lied to me…" he said bitterly. Nami went over to put her arms around Sanji again. "He lied to me to my face. He knew we'd never see each other again…"

The light bulb went on. Now Nami truly understood what had sent Sanji into a rage. It wasn't that Zeff had died; it was the fact that he'd kept the fact he was sick from Sanji. He felt betrayed and abandoned by Zeff.

Before Sanji's mother had died, he had lived in a world of love and kindness. His mother's violent untimely death shattered this world and showed him that not all people were kind and caring. This was the birth of Sanji's darkness. This darkness split his mind in two; thus the origin of Sanji's peculiar spilt personality.

His serious side, when he would speak logically, speak his views, when he seemed like a completely sound stable person, this was the entity that awoke after the death of his beloved mother. This entity was wise to the world and knew its harsh realities. This was the cynic Luffy first met after sending a canonball crashing through Zeff's roof. This was the person that yelled at Zoro, falling into the sea after his defeat with Mihawk, to give up his ambitions.

The person Nami first met at Barrate who came over to her spouting declarations of love was the part of Sanji that was still the little mamma's boy that basked in the loving glow of his mother and still believed in the good of people, the part of him that never grew up and stayed that little boy. This was that person joined in the happy dances of Luffy and Ussop. This was the person that served food delicious beyond all reason with declarations that it was made with love from his heart as he offered it to the lovely women among his circle of new friends. The first real friends he had ever had.

The two personalizes co-existed and were balanced fairly well. But after the bubble burst and the carefully guarded emotions were unleashed, the scale tipped and the dark side fought for dominance.

It had a new habit of torturing and haunting Sanji. It didn't seem to like the idea of Sanji living happily and blissfully ever after with Nami. The death of Sanji's mother wasn't the only thing the darkness was helping Sanji keep locked away.

Sanji had been abandoned before. Left behind by others he thought cared about him. Not his father as most would think. Sanji understood and accepted that. Sanji had motioned the other women that had pushed him away and broken his heart. The most popular way girls had to break up with Sanji seemed to be just to leave.

To Sanji's knowledge, the relationship would be going fine. One day they would be laughing and saying how much they loved each other, that night they'd make wild passionate love and then the next morning Sanji would wake up in bed alone with a "Dear John Letter", with the 'You're too kind' 'Too sweet', 'I don't deserve you' spiel. The darkness liked bring this up every once in a while.  
And if it was feeling especially devious and cruel, it would twist the fact, like a knife in Sanji's heart, that everyone Sanji had ever loved or cared about had left or abandon him one way or another.

His darkness tortured Sanji for a long time.

It became worse after Sanji broke down on his mother's birthday. A few weeks after that, at night Nami had got up to use the bathroom. When she had come back to bed Sanji was gone. A gut feeling told her to go looking for him. It wasn't hard finding Sanji. He was in the Kitchen, his sanctuary, the one place he felt completely comfortable. He was hulled in the corner and he was talking to himself again.

"Shut up. Shut up." He said in a distressed weeping sorrowful voice. "She wouldn't that. She loves me."

Nami was then shocked to hear another voice in the room. It was dark and cruel with an air of malicious taunting.

"Are you so sure of that?" It said

"Yes!" said Sanji "Of course I'm sure."

The voice laughed heartlessly "You were so sure Crystal loved you too. And Rebecca and Jessie and Sara. Angela and Stephanie as well. And of course who could forget Diana…"

"Shut Up!" Sanji yells at the mysterious voice. "Nami's different! She's nothing like any of them!" Sanji's voice goes back to a soft and weeping "She loves me. She wouldn't have married me if she didn't."

"But she married you before she knew this about you." The voice taunted. "What do you suppose she'll think of you when she's sees you like this. A clingy whimpering crybaby."

It was then Nami realized the other voice was also Sanji. She recognized the tone. It was the tone he used when he reprimanded people in the manner of calmly explaining things in a way that would make them think about their actions. Only this tone had that extra dark teasing undertone. This was the voice of Sanji's inner darkness.

Sanji was now weeping and trembling with his fear Nami would eventually leave him for one reason or another.

Nami goes over to her distraught and troubled husband and kneels beside of him resting her hand gently on his shoulder. "Sanji."

Sanji's head bolts up. Tears streaming down his face and eyes wide with shock and terror as if Nami had caught him doing something appalling and shameful.

"Oh sweetie." Nami spoke to Sanji in a gentle soothing voice "It's ok. It's ok." she moved to hold him.

Sanji wrapped his arms around Nami and clung to her. But the darkness wouldn't let Sanji be soothed and continued whispering malicious things in Sanji's head.

He let go of Nami and clenches his hair into his fits.

"No. No. No." Sanji franticly shakes his head. "No. I can't. I won't ask her that. It's too much." Sanji's body tenses as the darkness whispers other wicked taunts.

"Sanji." Nami tries to bring him back. "What? What is it? What's going through you're head?"

Sanji only shakes his head. "No." he shutters "I can't."

"Sanji tell me. Whatever it is, just tell me. If you keep it bottled up inside it'll only hurt you more."

But he only kept shaking his head.

Nami grasps Sanji's shoulders tightly "Sanji! Look at me!"

His head bolts up and he looks into Nami's eyes.

"I love you." She tells him "Please trust me."

At that point the dam breaks and everything comes pouring out. Sanji shudders and breaks down.

"Don't leave me." he breathes "Oh god Nami, don't leave me. If you do, I'll…I'll…"

Nami pulls Sanji in to hold him again and he gives himself over to the tears.  
Nami holds Sanji stroking his soft hair rocking him, soothing him as he weeps.

"I don't know how he did it." Sanji whispers. "I don't know how he's able to live without her…"

Nami knew Sanji was referring to his father after his mother died

"If I ever lost you Nami…If anything ever happened to you… I'd die Nami. I'd just die…"

"I know love. I know." Nami had no trouble believing what would happen to Sanji if anything were to happen to her. And now Nami understood. Sanji had lost too many people. Some many times he gave out his heart to someone and each time they gave it back to him shattered and broken. She now completely understood why Sanji had gone all out during their deceive moment of truth. Why he didn't hold back. Why he reached out to grasp love and held it in a death grip so it wouldn't escape. It was because this would be the last time. This was going to be the last time he gave his heart to anyone. The last time he was going to let himself love someone and become attached. If this failed, it was over. His heart wouldn't be able to take it. If it shattered again, he wouldn't be able to put it back together.  
Nami understood this and knew she would have to plan what she would say next very carefully.

"Sanji," She started "I promise you…"

Sanji looked up at her. His eyes wide like a young child. But what she saw behind them made her rethink what she was going to say.  
Behind the child was the shadowy cynical eyes of Sanji's darkness.

"What?" The he asked her in her head. "What are you going to promise him? What lies and good intentions are you going to feed him? I've heard it all before. What are you going to promise him that dozens of others haven't already?"

Nami then understood the real purpose of Sanji's darkness. The darkness was Sanji's last defense. On the outside it seemed cold and cruel, but it only hurt Sanji so others wouldn't hurt him again. It was the protective over bearing parent that kept the naïve trusting child part of him from getting into trouble. He wanted to trust Nami, but he had seen Sanji get hurt too many times. If Nami wanted Sanji to be better, she first had to work things out with this darker side of him.

"I promise you Sanji." Nami began again "I have no _intention_ of leaving you. I always want to be with you and I can't think of anything that would make me not want to be with you. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Sanji seemed to feel a bit better, but it wasn't enough to convince Yami, which was what Nami decided to call Sanji's darkness as it was now becoming a bigger more prominent manifestation.

"We might have rushed into things and you didn't see the kind of person I really am, and now that you know I'm…I'm…well…"

"Insane?" Nami helped deciding to tackle this from a new angle. "Completely out of your mind? An absolute and utter freak?"

"Yeah…" One part of Sanji seemed a bit hurt but the side of Sanji Nami was trying to appeal to seemed intrigued.

Nami gave a small laugh "Sanji dear. I knew you were a freak the first time I met you."

This finally puts a bit of a smile on the tormented young chefs face. But the smile disappears as quickly as it had come. "This is a whole new level of insanity for me Nami. I've never had these kinds of feelings with so much intensity before. I'd feel sad, but nothing like this Nami. Not this hopeless."

Sanji held himself and started trembling.

"The last time I felt this much sadness and despair I…I…" the tears started again.

Nami reached out and held Sanji's face in her hand. "You're not alone anymore Sanji." She said "You don't have to go through this all by yourself love."

Nami goes up on her knees to give Sanji a sweet tender kiss on his head. The same kind of sweet tender kiss he had once given her to pull her from the cold dark loneliness. "I'm right here." She whispers

Sanji finally let's go and let's himself sink into the comfort Nami offered him.  
He cried.  
And Nami just held onto Sanji tight and let him cry.  
He took the comfort and reassurance she offered him…

It took years of Nami and the others helping him, for Sanji to work through things and get better. Nami never made the promise "I'll never leave you." Or "I'll never hurt you." The thing that seemed to work the best was the pure and honest truth as she knew it.

"I love you Sanji." She would say, because she did love him and nothing would change that. Also instead of "I won't leave you" she said "I have no intention of leavening you." No _intention_ of leaving. That was the real truth. If something unexpected happened that was beyond Nami's control, like death for example, nothing could be done about that… I mean you can't promise you won't die… but Sanji knew what her true desire was. She always wanted to be with him and she'd do anything in her power to stay by his side… and finally, that was good enough for Yami to except. She wasn't treating them like a child the way everyone else had. Everyone else had told sugar coated lies and ran like cowards when their lies caught up with them. This was the start of the policy of total and complete honesty and system of free and open speech between Sanji and Nami. Just say whatever the hell was on your mind. No subject was taboo or off limits. No more bottling things up and letting them fester.

Yami accepted these terms and backed off a bit. He accepted the others as well. The protective over bearing parent had gotten to know Sanji's friends, and decided it was safe for him to play with them.

Nami had used him, but not nearly as bad as the women before her had; and now that she had come in touch with her feelings she had changed an was a whole new person, Ussop lied, but it was so obvious it didn't count, he was a coward and ran away, but he was there when it counted and he tried his hardest not to run away and made a conscious effort to change, Luffy was simple and said whatever the hell was on his mind no matter what, Robin's blunt honesty was comforting and Chopper was a kindred sprit and so much like him, there was no way he could ever not trust the cute little reindeer, Zoro… Zoro was a pain in the ass… but he never lied to Sanji or used him in anyway…

Sanji finally had friends; real friends for the first time in his life. Friends he could trust, and this put him and his dark side back into balance once again.

Sanji had been doing great for years. He didn't bottle up his feelings anymore and so issues were addressed right away. He hardly suffered from depression at all. Things were going great. Especially since he achieved his dream of finding All Blue, opened his own place and his estranged father came back to be in his life again.

Yes life was good…

And then Zeff had to go and pull this shit.

Nami held her husband as he clung to her weeping and thought to herself "If Zeff wasn't already dead, I'd kill the bastard."

"Why do people leave me like this Nami? Why?"

The question broke Nami's heart. This question didn't come from the dark cynical side of Sanji that knew the harsh reality of life. It came from the pure innocent child that did not yet know people could be so cruel and selfish.

"Because sweetie…" Nami could stop the tears from falling. "People are selfish cowards." The honest truth was the only thing that would be any help to Sanji now. "People love you Sanji, they really do. They love you're warmth and happiness and that's how they want to remember you… they want their last image of you to be of you happy and smiling. So they leave you then and have that image of you and don't think of the pain and sorrow you'll be in once you realize they're gone. It's like someone who commits suicide, they care only about their own issues and don't think about the people they leave behind and have to clean up the mess…"

"Why do people lie to me Nami? Why do people keep things from me?"

Nami went still. Now this question came from Yami. The cold callous voice gave her a chilling feeling. Sanji pulled away from Nami and she saw Yami looking at her with dark spiteful eyes. Nami hadn't seen his eyes directed at her for a very, very long time. Thugs that threatened her or Sanji or any one of their friends got those eyes, annoying people that managed to piss Sanji off got those eyes, Zoro got those eyes, Luffy sometimes got a lesser version of those eyes. Sanji called upon Yami when he needed to fight or be threatening. When controlled, Yami was a strong weapon. But when he invites itself and takes over and dominates Sanji, that's when bad things happen. People don't get hurt physically, but emotionally when Yami surfaces like this, and anyone knows emotional scars are much worse that physical ones.

The trouble was… there was no stopping him once he goes to lash out you and there was no dodging the blow. You could only prepare yourself and try to roll with the punch and hope the wound only looked worse than it really was.

Yami had been behaving himself for a long time now; he trusted Nami and gave her the benefit of the doubt. But Zeff's betrayal had ruined things a little.

Nami prepared herself for the question that was coming.

"Where were you this afternoon Nami?" Yami asks casually with a hint of accusation.

"Shit." Nami thinks. She saw the question coming but that didn't really help. It was the worst possible thing he could ask at this moment.

* * *

That's all you get for now.

I should have this part of the mini arc done and up soon  
In the mean time, tell me what you think so far...


	5. To Have Loved and Lost and Love again:3

**Warning**: Strong Laguage and Suggestive Themes

* * *

"Where were you this afternoon Nami?" Yami asks casually with a hint of accusation.

"Shit." Nami thinks. She saw the question coming but that didn't really help. It was the worst possible thing he could ask at this moment.

Nami had gone to see their acquaintance turned friend Kaya.  
Kaya also happened to be Sanji and Nami's primary care physician.  
Cristo Island was a new and developing island and ripe for people to find work.  
Kaya had come to Cristo Island after she finished medical school to start her practice.

Nami wasn't going to lie to Sanji. Even if she wanted to lie, she wouldn't be able to fool Yami. He could smell a lie from a mile away.  
But the moment she told him she had gone to see Kaya, she knew the first thing that would pop into Sanji's mind and that would just make matters worse.  
When someone says 'I went to see the doctor' the first thing one thinks of is 'illness'. Nami did not want Sanji to think there was something wrong with her. She knew it would make him fret and worry. She knew what his stream of thought would be. '_Nami saw Kaya, Kaya's our doctor, you go to the doctor when you're sick, Nami's sick, Zeff was sick and died, Nami's going to die, I'm going to lose her…_' It was extreme but Nami knew in Sanji's current state of mind he would jump to those conclusions.  
She was at a loss for words.  
Telling him the truth would make things worse and not saying anything would make things worse.  
When Nami didn't answer it flamed Yami's paranoia. She was losing Sanji as Yami started filling his mind with dark assumptions. His eyes were starting to glare at her.  
She couldn't tell him right now, not in the state of mind Sanji was in. She had to calm him down first. Nami had to think fast and say something.

"I love you Sanji, you know that right?"

Yami faded a bit and Sanji came back a little. Sad disheartened Sanji, but Sanji none the less. He only nodded, as if he didn't trust himself to speak.

"You trust me. Right?"

Sanji struggled with Yami on this one. Nami saw the pain on his face and Sanji fighting with his dark alter ego. He did trust her. Or rather, he wanted to trust her. He wanted to trust her with every fiber in his body. He 99 precent trusted her, but it was Yami's 1 percent of doubt that made all the difference.

"You're keeping something from me." Sanji whispered

Nami could lie to him "Yes." she said simply.  
She saw the hurt flash in Sanji's eyes. She took Sanji's face in her hands and look into his eyes with all the love and compassion she could muster and spoke before Yami could take his attention.

"It's nothing bad Sanji I swear… I'm sorry Sanji. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. You know I would never intentionally hurt you. I love you. I want you to be happy. You know that."

Sanji bit his bottom lip. He nodded.

"I was only trying to make it a surprise for you. If I knew keeping it from you would hurt you, I wouldn't have done it. I'm sorry. It's never my wish to hurt you or see you hurt. I only want you to be happy. I thought it would make you happy surprising you."

Yami faded completely. A shuddering gasp escaped his lips and a new emotion washed over him. Guilt. Tormenting guilt for have ever doubted Nami.

Sanji's tears returned "I'm sorry Nami…I"

Nami moved to sooth Sanji cradling his head in her arms. "No sweetie no. Don't."

"I hate this." Says Sanji. "I hate feeling this way. I thought I was better."

"You are better Sanji. A lot better. You've come so far and grown so much. It's not your fault."

"You're right…" Sanji agreed "It's this place. This god damn fucking place! I hate it! I hate this fucking place! I should just burn it and let it sink into the ocean. So many bad memories for me here. Even the one good memory I have starts out bad."

"And what memory is that?" Nami asks

Sanji shook his head. "It's too terrible…"

"More terrible than what happened to your mother?"

"Maybe…" Sanji whispers

"Oh sweetie, tell me." Nami says gently "Nothing you can tell me about your past will make me love you any less."

Sanji takes a deep breath "The last time I felt this much sadness and despair…I…I…"

"You what dear?" Nami's voice was soft and full of patience and understanding. "What happened the last time you felt so much sadness?"

"I tried to kill myself." Sanji breathes

This didn't shock Nami as much as it shocked the other chefs.

Sanji had never come out said it the way he had just now, but there had always been the implication and Nami had picked up on it. Nami knew that Sanji had suffered through long terms of depression in the past, and wasn't surprised he tried to hurt himself, though it was always shocking to hear someone say it out loud.

Sanji laughed the taunting malevolent laugh deep in his throat that belonged to Yami "The analogy you gave about people who commit suicide is true Nami… but you know…some times they do think about that… the people who commit suicide… they do think about the people they'll leave behind, who will have to clean up the mess… and think… fuck the fucking fuckers… they made my life hell… they'll be glad to be rid of me, I'm doing them a favor so why the hell should I make things easier on them…"

Sanji's head lifted up and rolled to one side so that he was looking in the direction of the other chefs.  
Yami was peering out though his eyes.  
They all looked very uncomfortable under his dark gaze.  
Nami sensed an air of guilt arise among them.

"Why the shocked look felas?" said Yami

All the chefs looked extremely uncomfortable and fidgeted uneasily under the menacing stare.

"Well?" Yami pushed. He pulled himself away from Nami and stood facing the huddled group of chefs

"W-well." One of the chefs started. "W-we all thought it was just an accident."

Yami laughed bitterly "You believed that because you wanted it to be true. You didn't want to believe it was anything you did that caused my anguish."

"What the hell did we ever do to you!" One of the other chefs lashed out.

Nami sensed this was a long standing unresolved issue for Sanji. She was a bit troubled by the tension this was causing but glad it was something Sanji would finally be able to get off his chest. One more issue that could finally be resolved.

"You hated me and resented my very existence!" Yami shot back.

"We've had nothing but respect for you, you ungrateful little twerp!" Patty steps up.

The bitter laugh comes again "Oh ya. You respect me and my talent... And then you'd turn around and talk shit about me behind my back! Don't think I never heard what you said about me! You always resented the fact that _I_ was assistant head chef. That I was half your age but had more skill and talent that all of you put together!"

This statement really stepped on some toes.

"Ya, you always rubbed that in our faces!" one of the chefs said bitterly "That and the fact you were so good with women as well. Beautiful women that wouldn't give any of us the time of day would fawn and swoon all over you."

"And you rubbed it in my face every time one of them would dump me!"

This statement was a red flag for Nami. She sensed the underlining agony in his words.

"Ha! What did you ever care!" Patty lashed out "You just moved onto the next one. You were nothing but a whore!" His statement was shocking for everyone; yet the others stood by it, some nodding in agreement. It was what the others had really thought but had always afraid to say.

Sanji's head turned down and he stared fiercely at the floor. His fits clenched, his body shaking.

"Exactly." He whispered

That wasn't an answer anyone expected.

"Yes, I was nothing but a whore back then." Sanji raised his head to look at the other chefs. "Didn't any of you think there was anything wrong with that?"

The chefs were all taken a back by the question.

"I was just a kid." Sanji whispered. You could hear the sorrow in his voice. "Didn't you think it was strange for a kid like me to be sleeping around so much? I was barley seventeen and had been fucking almost every night for the past 4 years! FOUR YEARS! What normal self-respecting person whores himself out _that much_ at that age!"

The chefs were all stunned and the level of guilt rose.

Sanji broke down in tears again. "Didn't you think I needed help? You didn't care. None of you cared! Even after what Diana did to me… you _knew_ what her and her friends did to me… that she…she…" Sanji was trembling again "I was in love with her, she made me love her so much… and I thought she loved me too. But I was just a pretty face to her. A sex toy! That's all I was. And when I confronted her about it she just laughed! She laughed at my pain. And then her and her friends they…they all…" Sanji took to holding himself again trying to bear the terrible memory.

Nami wanted to go to him. Hold him and soothe him and tell him it was ok, he didn't have to say any more. But she knew if he didn't get it out now, it would be one more thing that would fester and become a bigger problem later…

Sanji continued "She humiliated me, violated me, hurt me physically, emotionally… and she enjoyed it! The Sadistic Bitch enjoyed it!"

Now this stunned Nami. Never before had he heard Sanji talk about girl that way and certainly never dreamed he could use the B word. A woman actually did something so bad to Sanji that he was able to find it in his heart to hate her… Nami didn't think that was even possible.

Nami knew that get to the point of hating a woman, even just one, killed something deep inside Sanji and tormented him more than anything else. The only think that would be worse is if the could bring himself to hurt a woman. If that ever happened, then the world as they knew it would come to an end.

"This bitch is so dead" Nami thought. "Where ever she is, I'll hunt her down." Sanji probably couldn't hurt her in spite of the fact he could hate her… but Nami had no such reservation.

"You didn't care." Sanji sobbed "None of you cared. You just laughed at me and teased me. Made jokes about how I wasn't man enough to handle women. You all hated me so much, you probably were happy something terrible like that happened to me!"

"Now wait just a minute Sanji..." One of the chefs tried to interject, but it only caused Sanji to lash out more.

"You say you respected me but not ONE of you ever TREATED me with respect! No one cared! I started smoking when I was 10 and no one said anything! I lost my fucking virginity when I was 13! WHAT THE FUCK! What the hell did you ever do to me! NOTHING! That's what! You did nothing! I was screaming out for someone to help me and you did NOTHING! Not a god damn fucking thing!"

It was at this point Nami went to him. His pain that made her heart ache for him was too much to bear. She went to him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Sanji's legs gave way and he sunk to the floor bring Nami down with him.

"Nobody cared Nami." Yami had vanished and this was now coming from the little boy side of Sanji. "Nobody loved me and no one would ever love me. I was alone and would always be alone. That's what I thought Nami. That's what was racing though my mind when I downed the rest of a bottle of pain killers with an entire bottle of wine. No one would miss me. They'd be happy to be rid of me."

"Oh Sanji." Nami held Sanji tight and stroked his hair.

Sanji's voice became detached and unemotional.  
"After I took the pills, I started to feel strange. I didn't like it; I started to have second thoughts. I was scared and started to panic. I didn't want to die. I went down stairs to get help, but everyone just pushed me aside and told me to get out of the way, that I was a bother. No one would listen to me. They just thought I was drunk. I thought maybe I was better off dying after all. I stumbled outside and threw myself into the sea.

The water was so cold and it felt like pins and needles on my skin.  
But then… I felt nothing.  
Maybe it was the pain killers, maybe the ice water made me numb…  
Whatever the reason, I felt nothing. No pain. No coldness. Nothing.  
Suddenly I was sounded by light.  
Bright white light. And I seemed to be floating.  
Then I saw someone. It was her. My mother. She was there in front of me.  
She held her arms open to me and held me. I was suddenly surrounded by warmth.  
She spoke to me.  
She told me she was sorry for my pain. She told me she knew how hard it had been for me. She told me it wasn't my time to go yet, that I needed to stay strong a little bit longer. She told me there were others for me out there. Others were coming toward me, people that could take care of me. She said she found someone for me. Some I could love and who could love me back and our paths would cross soon. I just had to hold on a bit longer.  
She told me she loved me and there would be another time we would be together again….  
When I woke up I was in my own bed.  
I heard voices. My door was cracked and I heard the old geezer talking with someone. It was Dr. Kani from the main land.  
He was telling the old man that the cold water and the alcohol made me sick and throw up the pills I had swallowed and that the biggest problem was hypothermia.  
Zeff asked if I was going to be ok. He sounded really worried. It was the first time I had ever heard him like that. The old man was really worried about me.  
The doctor told him I should be fine… I dosed off after that.  
I remember thinking, maybe someone does care about me a little after all.  
Zeff was the only one I respected in this whole place. He was the only one who ever really took care of me. He was the only one who cared about me. He was a second father to me and I owed him a lot.  
And then I had hope. My mother told me there was someone for me. Someone I could love and who would love me back.  
I stopped sleeping around. I promised my self I'd never give my body to another woman unless I was sure she loved me, unless I knew she was the one. I'd save myself for her."

Sanji cuddled deeper into Nami's embrace. "Then about two years later, Fucking Luffy sent a cannon ball crashing through the roof." Sanji giggled. Nami couldn't help but to giggle too as she remembered that day.

Then something dawned on her. "About two years before I came to Barrate with Luffy, I had been at The Restaurant Celest in Monte Island." Nami said "I was with some rich pompous jerk I was caseing for a robbery. While he went to the bathroom I was noticing all the couples at the restaurant and remembered all the couples I had seen around town. They all looked so happy. I thought to myself how nice it would be if I could find a nice guy. But then I immediately thought that there couldn't possibly be anyone out there for me. Then I heard a women's voice say 'but there is someone out there for you.' I looked up and saw a beautiful woman with wavy golden hair sitting by herself in the back corner booth. She was looking right at me, and smiled. When I blinked she was gone. I asked a passing waiter if he had seen the blond haired woman sitting in the corner booth. He looked where I was pointing and turned back and smiled and said excitedly ' Ah! Lucky you! You must have seen our ghost. I've heard of her, but have never seen her before.' 'Ghost?' I said. I was a bit alarmed but the waiter told me she was a friendly ghost and she watches over the place and that back corner booth is hers, and they never sit anyone there.  
He told me, on Saturdays, people have seen her around places lovers go on dates.  
He said that the townspeople call her the guardian angle of lovers and if a couple sees her then their love will last forever. And if a young girl that's unhappy with her love life sees her, then her luck in love will change and she will be sure to find the love of her life"

After Sanji had told Nami that the Restaurant Celest on Monte Island was opened by his father, and after he told her about how his mother had died, Nami put it together that the "ghost" the townspeople had talked about was Sanji's mother.

Sanji smiled up and Nami.  
Nami smiled back. That was the Sanji she liked to see. Nami sensed the storm was over and calm was settling now.

Nami pulled Sanji's faces to hers and captured his lips in a sweet tender loving kiss. Her tongue gently caressed his lips asking to be let in. The request was granted. Each of them tasted and explored each other softly, tenderly. Sanji deepened the kiss drawing a soft moan from Nami's throat.  
Nami's moan drew the attention of another member that was low on Sanji's body. Sanji pulled Nami closer and she felt the throbbing hardness of the member that had awoken.  
This caused another thought to come to Nami's mind and she broke the kiss.

"Sanji?"

"Hmm?"

"You said after you survived your suicide attempt you gave up sex right."

"Ya…" Sanji smiled "I was saving myself for the one who would love me."

"So…" Nami turning the thought in her head "Between that time and when Luffy came crashing into your life, you hadn't had sex at all?"

"Nope."

"Wow." Nami thought. Sanji was purer than she had originally thought

"So our first time… that was the first time you'd had sex in two years?"

Sanji smiled and tilted his head to one side and laughed. "Longer than that love."

"Hu?" Nami seemed to be missing something.

"You do realize, we didn't get together until almost a year after Luffy took me away to go pirating right?"

"You mean, even when we would dock at a port and you would go off flirting you didn't…?"

"Nope."

"Not once?"

"Not once."

"Making out?"

"Nu uh."

"Kissing?"

"Nothing more than a kiss on the hand. Though, I wasn't against getting kisses… but usually just on the cheek or something."

Nami thought about it for a second and then things finally clicked "You were completely celibate for almost three years!"

Sanji laughed "Pretty much… if you don't count… you know."

"Hm?" Nami was missing something again.

"You know..." Sanji raised his curly little eye brow "Sex with someone you love..." (1)

"Ah." Blushing as she got the implication

Sanji smiles "Your so cute Nami." He pulls her in for another kiss. Short and sweet.

"I love you Sanji."

"I love you too Nami."

---

Though it would take a while for him to come to forgive Zeff for betraying and abandoning him the way he did, Sanji decided not to burn Baratte and let it sink into the sea.  
Instead, Sanji decided he was going to revamp the place and start filling it with happy memories from now on.

The first of which Sanji and Nami took care of that same day by re-christening his old bed.  
Well, it probably wasn't the same bed he had had all those years ago, but that was besides the point.

Zeff had kept Sanji's old room vacant and exactly the way he had left it all those years ago when Sanji had first left. Zeff really had thought of Sanji like a son.

Sanji forgave the old man, just a little.

Sanji made sweet passionate love to a woman he deeply loved and cared about once again in that room he had made love to many other women he had been in love with. But this time was different. Sanji knew Nami was different than all of those other girls. She was different because she loved Sanji; really truly loved Sanji. And Sanji knew that when he woke up the next morning he wouldn't wake up alone with a Dear Jon letter. Never again would wake up to find himself all alone with no one to love or to love him. Sanji knew someone would always love and care about him and that he'd never be all alone ever again. He knew this because he had found true love and true friends that would always be there for him.

Sanji and Nami made love and went over the edge ecstasy together.  
As they came back down to earth after their usual heavenly love making session, Sanji and Nami cuddled closer.

"I love you Nami"

"I love you too Sanji."

"Nami?" Sanji asked after a moments rest.

"Hm?"

"Where'd you go this afternoon?" Sanji asked calmly without a hint of acuasation

Ah, yes. Nami remembered she never actually got around to telling Sanji that before. Now she could tell him without fret or worry.

"I went to see Kaya." She said simply

Sanji nodded thoughtfully. "You've been sick lately, getting nauseous…" He said this calmly without a hint of worry or anxiety.

"Mmm." Nami making and affirmative noise.

"You said it was nothing bad…is there anything wrong?" Sanji asked simply.

"Nah, just my stupid womany cycle got all thrown off." Nami said "When that gets thrown off, everything else gets thrown off too, ya know."

"Ah, I see." Sanji nods. He seemed to understand and be set at ease.

After a moment Sanji asked. "So, did Kaya figure out what threw it off?"

"Ya…" Nami said casually "We talked about major changes in my routine…cause you know, things like that could be a factor…"

Sanji nodded.

"So looking back over everything that happened over that past few months, we think it has something to do with the fact I stopped taking my birth control three months ago."

"Ah, I see." Says Sanji "That's no so bad right?"

"Nope. I told you, nothing bad."

Sanji kisses Nami on the head and squeezes her tight, satisfied and completely unstressed.

Nami snuggles closer to Sanji.  
She smiles and in her head counts down "5, 4, 3, 2…"

"Wait What!" Sanji blots to full alertness as he turns the information Nami had just given him in his head.

Nami couldn't help but giggle.

Sanji sits up leaning on his arm to look down at Nami. "Mind running that last part by me again Nami?"

"I stopped taking my birth control three months ago." She smiled innocently

Sanji blinks at Nami and analyzes the facts of everything Nami had revealed to him.  
Nami see the connections being made in Sanji's head and grins wide at him as the light bulb goes on.

"Nami…then…that means…"

Nami nods

Sanji gasps a smile. "Tell me." Sanji breathes "I want to hear you say it."

"I'm pregnant." She whispers. "I'm having your baby Sanji, _our_ baby."

Nami giggles and feels a great sensation of joy as she sees Sanji's face light up with happiness.

Yes Nami should have talked about this with Sanji before, but Nami knew he would have no objection. Sure keeping something from Sanji it made the most resent ordeal bit more difficult, but all and all, Nami felt the whole thing was worth it just to see how happy Sanji was at that moment. Though Nami decided that, in the future, it would be better not to keep anything else from Sanji, not even a surprise party.

A few hours ago Sanji had felt more sadness and agony than he had felt in a very, very long time, with the loss of and betrayal of the man he thought of like a second father. But now on that same day with the news of new life, Sanji felt the happiest he had ever felt since Nami agreed to marry him.

"Surprise." Nami smiles and pulls Sanji in for a kiss.

* * *

Yay! So that chapter is over. Boy that took forever to think through and piece together.  
Hope you like it  
More to come later. 

(1) For those that still don't get it or haven't heard the saying: "Masturbation is sex with someone you love."


	6. Family Origins Arc: 1

Sorry for the long time between updates. --_DistractedbyFF12what?_ . -- You think I'm joking... well I am XD...but not really...But also I've been working on another fic while I slowly chip away at the writers block for this. If anyone is intrested, it's a One Piece/ Ouran Host Club Crossover called _Gomu Gomu no ...Hosting? _I've gotten good feedback from it. --_shamelssplugwhat_?--

Anyways...

Continuing with the arc that takes place before and leading up to when the children are born.

Calling it the **Family Origins Arc. **woot I'm getting better at titles

Bit random at first, but I have lots of family origins to cover...well not really lots...I'm still debating weather Ussop and Kaya should pop out a kid...and I reeealy don't think Luffy should add to the gean pool...he's better staying as an Uncle type don't cha think

anyways...

* * *

"Oh Robin he's just so cute!" Nami says gently glomping Robin's 10 month old son Hikaru.

"Ours is gonna be cuter." Sanji says "And he's only cute 'cause he takes after his lovely mother."

"Sanji be nice." Scolds Nami.

"I am." Sanji defends. "I said he was cute didn't I?"

It was obvious Sanji had mixed feelings about Hikaru. True anything Dear Robin created was wonderful and lovely and second only to anything Nami created… yet _he _also had a hand in the conception of Robin's child… so torn.

Sanji adds "And with Robin Swan's brains he's sure to be smart too and not a worthless brainless brut like his father."

"Sanji!" Nami berates her husband

"What?"

Robin giggles not taking offence at all to Sanji's 'complements'. "Thank you Sanji." Robin had gotten out of the habit of calling people by their jobs and started using their names. Well, at least for her Mugiwara Namka.

It was March and Robin had come for Sanji's birthday with her newly born son Hikaru. Zoro was the father, though they weren't married. Robin wasn't the type of woman to really settle down and get married. She had a prominent career she was happy with and lived comfortably. However she did feel having a child was something more she desired. She knew her biological clock was ticking away.

Though Zoro was surprised at Robin's request he agreed to help her conceive. He did have feelings for her after all and secretly was quite happy and honored that Robin had asked him of all people. Robin was a beautiful and successful woman. She could have asked any number of men. But Robin felt it was important, especially for the child's sake, for the father to be someone she knew and respected.

In spite of their attraction to each other, neither Robin nor Zoro had any desire to get married and settle down. They were both free spirits and their idea of happiness was not 2.3 kids and a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence.

Robin was quite content being a single mother raising Hikaru.

However, Sanji and Zoro had had heated words about the notion of Robin's child being raised without a father figure. But in the end Zoro made Sanji understand.

-----

"Look, I don't know how to be all domestic and fatherly." Zoro told Sanji. "I'm not like you."

"And just what do you mean by that Marimo?" No matter what, Sanji's temper was always short when Zoro was around.

"I don't mean anything by it dumb ass!" Zoro temper equally short around Sanji.

Zoro stops and takes a deep breath "You're just really good at that kind of thing; it just comes naturally to you. You understand kids and you're all domestic and crap. I'll never be able to be like that. "

This had shocked Sanji. Zoro had never once admitted Sanji was good at anything. Well, not to his face anyway. They had always been rivals in just about everything. This was the first time either of them had admitted one was better at something than the other.

"I mean," Zoro continued. "Could you seriously picture someone like me joining the PTA or something? Look, it's not like I'll never be around…I'll do what I can for the kid. Besides Robin will do fine without me. There are all kinds of families Sanji. Just look at Nami and her sister with Bellmere. They weren't what you would call a traditional family but they were happy..."

Zoro had Sanji there. Sanji really reeeally hated it when Zoro was right, but marimo had a point. Plus Robin was fine with it, it's what she wanted.

Thus Hikaru was born and Robin couldn't have been happier.

And it's not like Hikaru would lack male roll models. There was "Uncle Luffy" and "Uncle Ussop". Though how much of a roll model they would be was deeply debatable. Also with them was Chopper, even though Chopper was a reindeer, he was male after all and could offer all kinds of advice on how to be manly. And of course there was Sanji, and Zoro would be around when he could. So it wasn't like Robin would really be raising Hikaru on her own... A child any one of the Mugiwara band had would get a very large, very unique and extraordinarily uncommon extended family indeed.

-----

Nami sets Hikaru down to be free to crawl around.

"So Nami, when are you due?" Robin asks

"About two more months. Kaya says beginning to mid-May." Nami smiles and looks down at Hikaru having crawled over to his pile of toys and was contently gumming one of his oversized squishy blocks. "Hear that Hee-chan? Soon you'll have a little playmate."

Robin smiles "You're really looking forward to having a little bundle of joy of your own aren't you Nami?"

Nami beams "Sure am. It feels strange though. When I was younger I never imagined myself like this, married and getting all exited about being a mom. I still can't believe I'm gonna be a mom! I wish Bellmere could see me like this, she wouldn't believe it... though; no one thought she'd ever be a mother either." Nami laughs

Sanji comes up behind Nami and wraps his arms around her putting his hand on her big round tummy to draw her in close. "Nami-chwan." Sanji says rubbing his cheek affectionately against hers. "You're absolutely glowing with motherly radiance."

"I'm just so happy." Nami beams "It's exciting; this new chapter in our lives."

"Nami chan is so cute with her big full belly." Says Sanji

There was a knock on the door.

"Ya?" called Nami

The door opened and Stephen, the latest souse chef came in.

"Nami-san. The applicant for the hostess position is here."

"Kay." Said Nami. "I'll come now and be down the stairs in 15 minutes."

Nami started walking towards the door. However before she got three steps she was suddenly swept up by Sanji.

"Sanji! You're gonna throw out your back like that. Put me down."

"Not a chance." Smiles Sanji "My beautiful beaming Sun Goddess need not strain herself."

Nami sighed. Sanji had been pampering her even more than he usually did ever since she told him she was pregnant. It got worse once she actually started showing. She knew by now it was useless to deter Sanji. No matter how much she protested, He'd just go and do what he wanted to anyway. "Sanji…even though I can't see my feet, I can still walk ya know."

"It's not a matter of ability my love but…"

"I know, I know. You live to serve. Just don't slip on the stairs; if you do we're all goners. Robin I'll be back in a little bit, just make yourself at home ok."

"Hikaru and I will be just fine." Robin waved at Nami

Sanji carefully carried his wife out of their apartment and down the stairs to the main restaurant.

"Ok Sanji. I think I can take it from here." Says Nami

Sanji was about to protest but a voice from the direction of the kitchen called to him. "Oi Sanji boy! You done with your break yet? Help us with the rush prep will ya." Sanji's father pokes his head out from the kitchen.

"Ah Alex you've come to save me." Smiles Nami at her father in law as Sanji sets her back down.

Alex smiles at his daughter in law. "Ah, Nami my dear sweet child you look radiant today." He takes her by the hand and twirls her around. "Just look at you, glowing at the peek of feminine glory and splendor."

If Sanji was the Prince his father was most certainly the King. She hadn't quite gotten use to the shower of complements raining down on her on two fronts. "Oh stop. I get enough of that from your son." Nami giggles "Now back to the kitchen, both of you. The rush is gonna hit us in twenty minutes." She says pushing the two doting men towards the kitchen.

Nami knew that Sanji's flirting personality and worship of women came from his father. Yet she had no idea the extent of it until she finally got to meet Sanji's father in person.

Sanji's father was a very dashing and charming man full of wit and wisdom. It was hard to believe he had once done hard time for murder. When Sanji was seven a man kidnapped, raped and killed his mother. Sanji's father hunted down the bastard and slaughtered him like so much beef.

Sanji's father took it very hard when his wife was taken from him. After his wife's death he became a shatterd empty shell of a man drowning in sorrow and dispair. He couldn't even bear to see his only son for the longest time. It was only in the past 10 years or so he had been able to recover somewhat and move on with his life. News of Sanji getting married had greatly helped. And after over 15 years He was finally able to face seeing his son...

--------------

After the restaurant was finished being built they started taking applications for chefs. Nami did the initial interviews, but she was only the first screening. After her, they still had to get passed Sanji and very few passed. Even if they did pass at first they would never last very long. It was now the restaurants 3rd month and Sanji had already gone through about 15 chefs, and 5 would be apprentices. Only two out of the whole lot passed mustard. One was the former head chef of the Naval Fortress G8, Jessica and another was a young boy with a mysterious past. He said very little and went by the name of Erik but he was a genius much like Sanji was, though he still had a lot to learn. They were good, but they couldn't keep running the restaurant with just three chefs. The place was already gaining popularity and renown and the list for reservations was getting longer every day.

Nami was at her wits end. They needed at least one more chef to balance things out and she prayed that this next applicant would be, by some glorious miracle, up to Sanji's high standers. His application seemed promising; born into a family of chefs, cooking since he was 5, over 10 years experience as head chef at another restaurant… he was as good as hired as far as Nami was concerned, she just hoped Sanji would be satisfied. Nami went to the main dinning room where the applicant was waiting.

"Alexander." She called

"Yes." an older gentleman stood up from the front waiting area. He had longish sandy brown hair that had graying streaks here and there. His short well trimmed goatee was also starting to gray. You could tell that he had been a strikingly handsome man when he was younger. He was one of those men that had aged well and looked very handsome and distinguished. His face at first seemed stern and weathered like many of the old sea hardened sailors around the island but his warm smile and shining green eyes off set all of that. He was warm and had pleasant, sociable air about him. Something touched Nami emotionally when she laid eyes on this man.

"Father." She thought. Growing up, Nami never had a father. The closest she had was Gen-san, but she always saw him more like and uncle type person. Seeing this man in front of her, Nami's mind began to wander, imagining what it would be like to have a man like this as her father. There was a comfort and familiarity about him too. She felt as if she knew him from somewhere.

"Miss, are you ok?" Asked the gentleman bring Nami out of her daydream.

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry." Nami smiled "Spaced out for a moment. We just opened you see, lots to do, there's so much spinning around in my head. Alexander was it?" Nami held out her hand to him.

"Alex, please." Smiled the man as he took Nami's hand with both of his. "My goodness, you've become more stunning than I could ever imagine my dear."

"Ah. Thank you." Nami smiled politely.

Alex smiled graciously "Don't worry my dear. I'm not hitting on you like the token dirty old man. My first and only love is gone and buried now; I just can't seem to set aside my compulsion to complement a pretty young girl like yourself."

"Oh...I'm sorry...I mean thank you, Um..." Nami gave an uneasy laugh and took a deep breath. "I'm soory to hear about your um...Love. Thank you for the complement...it's fine. I'm use to it. My husband is the same way." Suddenly something about what the man had said clicked as odd…. you've _become_ more stunning than I could ever imagine…her feeling of familiarity towards him resurfaced.

"Um I'm sorry but…Have we, met before?" Nami asked "I feel like I know you from somewhere…"

Alex smiled warmly "I have that same feeling about you too my dear, but alas, I have not had the honor nor pleasure of meeting such a fine young lady before."

Nami smiled "Ah, well never mind then. Shall we start the interview then?"

"Yes lets." Smiles Alex

They sat in a booth in the main dinning room. Nami read back over his resume. "So you were already head chef at your previous restaurant…a _Restaurant C_. … why quit and come here?"

"Well I'm getting to that age where I should start winding down and thinking about retirement, though I'm not the kind of person who can simply sit around playing chess all day. I don't think I could ever stop working. Yes quaint yet classy place like this would suit me just fine, reminds my old place."

He smiles. Nami smiles back. "Also my son and his wife just settled here too and should be starting a family of their own soon. I haven't seen him in so very long. I'd like to spend this part time of life close to them, see my grandchildren…" Alex suddenly burst out laughing. It was warm hardy laugh. "...Or something like that. Listen to me. I sound like Old Nate and he's a day older than dirt. I only just turned 50…"

Nami laughed too "Is that so? I could have sworn you couldn't be more than 40…I was gonna start calling you Uncle Alex."

Alex gave another warm hardy laugh. "Oh you are a darling."

Nami smiled "Well I say you pass. If it was completely up to me, I'd say you're hired, but you still have to get past my husband." Nami gives a deep sigh. "He's a harsh judge."

"I'm willing to face any judgment he has to bestow on me." Alex smiles calmly

Nami smiles "Please." She thinks "Please let Sanji like him." But she had a good feeling about this. She was sure Sanji would like him. She stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

"Sanji!" She called "Come here for a minute."

Sanji comes smiling through the swinging kitchen door. "Yes Nami my sweet radiant ray of sunshine."

"I have another chef applicant for you to see." She said

Sanji's happy sunny disposition was gone in an instant. "Oh." He turns on his heel and starts to head back into the kitchen.

"Sanji!" Nami pulls on his arm. "Now's not the time to be stubborn. You need to hire another chef. You'll like this one, I have a good feeling."

Sanji turns around "You had a good feeling about Simon too… he didn't even last a week."

"Oh that's your own damn fault; you hardly gave him a chance. But I really _reeeally_ have a good feeling about this one. At least met him." Nami then commenced on giving Sanji bambi eyes. "Please."

Sanji sighed. He was no match for bambi eyes. Especially not from Nami.

Nami pushed Sanji into the dinning room where the man was sitting. His back was facing towards the kitchen so he didn't see Sanji as he approached.

Sanji sighed and forced himself to be polite, which was still hard for him to do when it came to men. "I'm Sanji, the owner and head chef of this restaurant. How do you do?"

Nami hovered around him anticipating how things would go between him and the older man. She inwardly had her fingers crossed chanting please please please please please….

The man said nothing. He only stood up from the booth and turned around.

Sanji looked shocked. His eyes went wide and he drew in his breath.

Alex didn't look at all surprised at Sanji's reaction to him. He only stood there smiling slightly.

"What?" Asked Nami "What's wrong?"

Sanji didn't answer her. He only stared not blinking as if thinking if he did, the man would disappear. His eyes began to get red and watery.

It took a moment for Nami to realize Sanji was holding back tears. She began to worry. "Sanji…"

She looked back at Alex and saw that he was holding back tears too. What was going on here? Nami soon got her answer.

"You've grown into such a fine young man son." Alex said

This shocked Nami. Son? Then this was…no way... But then everything fell into place and made sense. The man's personality, the reason he seemed so familiar, _Restaurant_ _C… _She knew now the C, stood for Celest, Sanji's mother's name, and now that she thought about it, Sanji's fathers name was Alex, and she _had_ seen him before...only a much younger version of him, in A picture Sanji had of his family all together when he was a little boy, when his mother was stil alive. Why didn't she realize it all sooner?

Sanji moved. Nami was surprised by his sudden movement.

Sanji's fists were clenched; it looked like he was going to punch his father right in the face. Alex didn't seem like he was going to do anything to stop him. But Alex had said that he was willing to face any judgment Sanji had to bestow on him.

Sanji's fist clutched a hand full of Alex's shirt, the other fist wound back ready to strike.

But in the last moment the anger and rage melted from Sanji. His face broke as the first tear escaped. The other hand came down and clutched Alex's shirt as Sanji buried his head in his father's chest. Nami heard a crying sob escape from Sanji as he began to weep.

Alex brought his hand up and gently stroked his son's head letting his own tears fall.

"Dad." Sanji breathed softly

"Son. I've missed you so much..."

* * *

That's all you get for now.

It's at times like this is wish Sanji had a last name --

Ne, ne, when should the kids birthday's be?

Alex is gonna be born in May but I'm debating whether it's gonna be May 5th ,Children's Day, the same as Luffy. Or May 16th, the same as Sanji's Mother

I still don't have anything in mind for Serenity's birthday…

I was thinking the Twins could be July 7th the Tatabana star festival

If you do the math Hikaru was born in June…but what day?


	7. Family Origins Arc: 2

I tweeked the teaser chapter and added it to the rest…

* * *

In the midst of the touching emotional reunion between father and son the only thing Nami managed to say was

"So is he hired or what?"

Both men burst out laughing

"I guess we can hire him on a trail basis." Sanji laughed "Though if he sucks he's outta here."

"I'll try my best to work up to your expectations." Laughed Alex

Not only was Sanji able to have a happy unexpected reunion with his father, the restaurant gained the 4th chef they so desperately needed.

Alex became the assistant head chef to no ones objection, though Sanji said it felt strange for his father to be working under _him_ and it not being the other way around but Alex insisted.

---

"No no my boy, I wouldn't have it any other way. You have far more experience than me, having sailed the seas all over this world honing your skill. You have long since surpassed me. I shouldn't even be given the honor of being the assistant."

---

The Father Son Master Chef team brought the restaurant up another notch and became world famous within its first year.

It was now in the middle of the place's second year and they already had to expand twice. Well, they had to expand anyway to make room for their new addition also, but hey, two bird with one stone and all that.

The addition of Baratte would help take some of the over flow. They finished renovating it. Baratte would stay Baratte, a fish shaped floating restaurant, and the Fighting Chefs were still the main attraction. If pirates couldn't get their hands on Nami's log book of the Grand Line they might have better luck getting Old Zeff's.

Ha! No chance.

The restaurant was now more of a dinner cruse that sailed around Cristo Island and featured as a Family Restaurant:_ Parental Discretion Advised_. The inside was renovated, remolding the upstairs living quarters into a loft dinning area. It was up there families could sit with their children and they could watch the Fighting Cooks do battle safely. Though the majority of the _real_ pirate attacks were done during the afternoon when young children were hardly ever present. Thus about 80 precent of the Fighting Cooks battles were staged.

But staged or not, Baratte's biggest issue still remained. Keeping the part time waiter and hosting staff staffed. Even though they could deal with the staged battles, the _real_ battles always scared them away. So now Nami was in the process of hiring serving staff that could handle working in a dangerous potentially life threading work place. Not an easy task.

As Sanji followed his father into the kitchen Nami went out to the Dinning area were the hostess applicant was waiting.

"Delia." Nami called

"Haaai!" called a young woman hopping up from the waiting bench.

She looked to be about Nami's age, and was tall and very thin with legs from here to the Grand Line, which her _almost_ too short skirt and nearly too high, high heels showed off. Nami's back and ankles hurt just looking at those heels.

"To think I use to be able to wear heels like that." Thought Nami

The girl's shirt was a baggy lose white dress shirt that tied in the front with flowy sleeves. The top buttons where undone to show of a simple green drop shaped pendant. A number of bangles of various styles and colors encircled her wrists and she had rings on both of her thumbs and ring fingers. The nails were manicured and painted and deep shade of crimson. Her lipstick matched. The make up was well done and didn't look exaggerated or too dramatic, just enough to highlight her features and draw out her natural beauty. The eyes were light brown, almost gold. Her hair was jet black and bone strait with bangs and cut just above her shoulders.

She was beautiful…If you were into the whole anorexic look. She looked like a twig one could easily snap in two. Nami wasn't sure she had what it took to hold her own hosting at Baratte.

Nami gave her a wide professional smile. "Hello I'm Nami, the manager of this place. Sorry for the wait."

"Oh that's fine." Smiles the girl

Nami leads Delia to a booth and starts to look over her resume. Not that the resume told her anything important…All Nami needed to know was if someone was ready and able to hold their own if a pirate fight broke out. She had had people post help wanted flyers in the kinds of places her Sanji and the rest of the crew would usually frequent back in their pirating days. Not exactly your friendly neighborhood unemployment office. She wondered how a girl like Delia got a hold of one. She really didn't seem the type of girl that would be caught dead in places like that.

"So you have hostessing and waiting experience…"

"Doesn't everyone." Smiled Delia

Nami smiled "Yes, I suppose at one point most people have had to wait tables or something like that. Do you have any other kinds of work experience?"

"I dabbled in the pleasure industry for a while." Delia says slyly

Nami smiles "Ah, I see…"

"Look, I know I've been involved in questionable things… but based on where you posted your flyers, I seriously doubt you care." Delia smiles deviously with a hit of mischief

"Touché." Smiles Nami. She sets Delia's resume aside and gets down to business.

"So I trust you know Baratte's reputation." Said Nami

"Sure, sure." Nodded Delia "The Pirate Fighting Cooks. They were famous in East Blue. I was surprised they closed and set up shop here at first. But then I heard Old Zeff died." Deila laughed "Man that guy as like ancient but everyone was sure he was gonna live 'til he was 150 or something."

Nami put aside her sentiment and continued on. "So you do know that some times they do fight _actual_ pirates' right?" Inquired Nami "Not all of the fights are staged."

"Ya, I heard about that. They're after Zeff's book having to do with the Grand Line right?"

"Right…Look. A lot of these idiots are light weights and couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag… but some can actually be really dangerous. People have gotten hurt." Nami sighed "I'm sorry, but do you really think you hold your own if a fight broke out?"

Delia stood up and from some where from under that flowy shrit, or almost too short skirt the petite young woman produced a rather large bull whip. The loud crack of it made Nami jump.

"One of my jobs was as a Dominatrix; fully licensed and certified with a whip." Delia smiled impishly "I can snuff out a candle or take out an eye with this thing. I've made men more than twice my size cry out in both agony and pleasure."

Nami raised an eye brow "Ah I see…" She then turned her eyes to the whip and then glanced back at Delia's smirking face. "You need a license?"

"You do if you wanna work." Smiles Delia "All fun and games until someone loses an eye… or something like that."

Nami still wasn't completely convinced. She maybe good with a whip, but she also looked like good gust of wind could blow her away.

Delia sensed Nami's doubt "Look, I know that doesn't seem like much, but the fact that I don't look dangerous is an advantage. The bad guys usually ignore me, gives me the element of surprise." A flick of Delia's wrist quickly produced a butterfly knife. "I can handle myself in a tough crowd and I'm not intimidated by big burly brutes. I can be friendly and do the bubbly hostess thing too. That's the kind of person you need right? I really need a job and I don't have what one would call occupational skills; and you guys are paying triple what a normal hostess salary is plus medical benefits. When I can get some food in me I'll bulk right up, you'll see."

Nami admitted the girl did look like it had been awhile since her last meal. It explained why she looked anorexic. It wasn't by choice.

Nami sighed. "You do know before I hire you that you have to sign a release freeing us from liability for any pirate battle induced injury you get. That's what the medical benefits are for. They'll cover that, but you can't sue us."

"No problem." Smiled Delia

Nami sighs again. "I guess we can see how it goes…can you start tonight? We really need someone right away."

"Yay!" Delia reaches over and hugs Nami "You won't regret this I'll work really hard you wait and see!"

Nami laughed "Damn straight you will. And you better live up to that big talk of yours."

"You bet!" beamed Delia

"Come on." Said Nami "I'll introduce you to everyone."

Delia followed Nami to the kitchen

"Hey everyone. Meet the brave new hostess of Baratte, Delia." Nami announces

"Ah, Nami dear, do you really think its ok?" Asks Alex "She's so tiny, I could fit her in my pocket."

Delia smiles "I maybe be small old man but I'm spunky. I'll give those pirates a run for their money. You just wait and see."

Alex lets out a laugh and Delia laughs with him.

Suddenly there's a loud crash from one corner of the kitchen.

"Diana?!"

In a blink Delia's butterfly knife comes out and she strikes a defensive stance.

"Who wants ta know!?" She asks in a stern threatening tone. She turns to the direction the voice called out.

She suddenly looks extremely surprised "SANJI?!?! Oh, No Way!" Is that really you? OMG!"

Now it was Nami's turn to be shocked "Diana?! _That_ Diana. The Diana that dumped you so bad you went on a downward spiral of sorrow and despair?" It must be. Nami thought. She had known Zeff so she had to have known Sanji too. Why are these things suddenly not clicking with me? Maybe it's all these years of peace and happiness. Life is saying 'you're getting too soft in your blissful carefree life, time to shake things up again…'

Delia or rather Diana suddenly ducked behind a counter and held up each of her pointer fingers up in front her mouth.

"SHHHH! '_Diana'_ is in deep shit." She whispered

"I'll say you are." Said Nami threateningly as she took a step towards Diana

Sanji stopped her holding her back "Don't Nami, it won't be good for the baby."

For a moment Diana looked confused as to why Nami was suddenly so pissed off, then it finally clicked and she looked a Sanji. "Oh yaaa. I screwed you over _really_ bad that one time." She continued in her whispering tone. "You're still pissed off about that? That was like _years_ ago…"

Erik crouched down next to Diana "Why are you whispering?" He whispered

"I told you. I'm in deep shit. _Diana_ had to disappear. You don't know Diana. She was never here. Hou…but why should you do me any favors?" She looked up at Nami "Does this mean I don't get the job after all?"

Nami only gave her a 'what the hell you think' look.

"Oh…"Diana buried her head in her arms. "I'm so _fucked_. What am I gonna do?"

Nami raised and eye brow and cocked her head to one side "_This_ is Diana. This is the flaming bitch that tortured and tormented you after shattering your heart into tiny pieces all those years ago?"

Sanji only nodded a bit confused about how feeble his former tormenter now seemed.

"Hmmm, I pictured her as more evil and bitchy. Right now she seems kind of…what's the word? Pathetic."

"Oh, I was an evil flaming bitch back then… Ah man this is like divine retribution for all the terrible things I've done isn't it? It can't possibly get much worse…"

Diana's stomach suddenly let out a loud rumbling growl. She groans and holds her empty tummy.

Sanji gave a heavy sigh. "I picked a hell of a time to quit smoking…"

Sanji walks over to Diana and pulls her up by the arm. Though instead of throwing her out like she thought Sanji was going to do he only sits her down in a booth in the bar section just out side of the kitchen.

"Just wait there." Sanji tells her sternly

Nami came out and sat across from the distraught, anxious, half starved girl looking her over. At second glance Nami saw that the flowy flashy clothing was only to cover up how frail she looked and the well applied make up covered the pale and sickly color of her skin.

Diana didn't look up at Nami; she only stared at the table with her hands in her lap.

_This_ was Diana. This was the girl that forced Sanji to the edge of despair and made him attempt suicide. Well, it probably wasn't entirely Diana's fault. He said there had been others. Plus many other things had contributed over the years. Creepy Stalker Guy murdering his mother when he was seven was the first drop in the bucket. Then there was the neglect and disregard from the other people around him followed by one broken heart after another. No it wasn't all Diana's fault, but it only takes one drop to make the whole thing over flow. She had been the proverbial last straw.

Sanji came out of the kitchen, set a plate of food down in front of Diana and sat down next to his wife.

Diana looked at the food. After a moment tears started running down her cheeks.

"Just eat it." Sanji said callously

"Still can't let a person go hungry can you?" Diana smiled weakly

"Nope." Said Nami "A person could be the most evilly vile being that's ever walked the planet, but he'll still feed them if they're starving."

Diana gave a small laugh "That always got him in trouble with the other chefs."

"Ya well this is my restaurant; I can do whatever the hell I want."

Nami smiled slyly. She recognized his tone as that of Yami, Sanji's dark alter ego. Usually he only spoke directly to men. Sometimes he would talk to Nami, but Yami was actually nice to her and seemed rude only because he was blunt got straight to the point of things. Nami actually had grown to like Yami a lot. He was fun to BS with. These days he was gradually starting to meld into Sanji's regular personality. They were becoming one instead of staying two separate personalities.

Diana looked up at Sanji and seemed a bit freighted seeing Yami's dark eyes glaring at her. I was probably the first time she had ever meeting him. Yami hadn't fully manifested until after she left him.

"He's not going to hurt you." Said Nami "Even if he can find it in his heart to hate you, he still can't raise a hand against a woman."

Diana smiled sadly and nodded "As much a things change they stay the same."

"Eat." Said Nami "You look like your going to pass out any moment."

"There's no way I can pay for this…"Said Diana

"You get one free meal during each shift." Sighs Sanji "You can use your employee discount at either Baratte or here. And employees get their pick of foods that are within a week of the expurgation date also day old breads and cakes… No one that works for us will ever have to worry about going hungry."

Diana looked up at Sanji in utter disbelief "You mean I can still have the job?"

"Ya sure…" He said indifferently.

"Sanji… is it really ok?" Nami asked

"She'll be at Baratte so it's not like I have to see her everyday…" Sanji shrugged

Diana's face lit up like a Christmas tree "Oh Thank You! You always were too sweet." She hopped up and clapped her hands and went to hug Sanji.

Sanji stopped her with a hand on her face. "Don't even _think_ about touching me…" Yami said darkly

Diana zipped back to her seat and laughed nervously "Right… I guess I can't expect you to forgive me completely…" She picked up her fork and started eating "Ooooh this is soo good. Your cooking always was so amazing Sanji. You've done really well for your self. Just look at you. You achieved your dream of finding All Blue and opening your own place…" She looked over at Nami and smiled "And you've even got married to beautiful woman and are about to have a kid."

"Kissing up won't get you anywhere with me sister." Nami says cynically

Diana hung her head going back to looking dejected and dismal. "Sorry."

Nami and Sanji sat back just watching Diana eat in silence

After a moment Nami spoke up. Nami was curious but had always been afraid to ask…but now that Yami had surfaced he'd be able to handle it. "What _did_ she do to Sanji anyway?"

Diana suddenly became still and got that 'Oh Shit' look in her eyes.

Sanji let Yami's eyes glare playfully impish as he smiled a twisted and mischievous smile.

Diana saw the look and seemed to shrink.

"Do you wanna tell her or should I?" he asked

Diana only shrunk more.

"Our dear sweet…" Yami tilted his head to one side and smiled deviously "_Delia, _Is into BDSM."

Nami nodded "Ya, she said she had been a Dominatrix. A fully licensed and certified whip wielding one."

Yami nodded "Ya. To use a bull whip on people, you have to train for about a year and be licensed. You see as dark and nefarious the world of BDSM seems, it's actually well structured and they take care of their own. There are rules. Strict rules set in place to insure everyone's safety. Diana…sorry Delia introduced Sanji to this world. She told him of great love and trust. I mean you _have_ to trust some if you're going to let them tie you up and have their way with you." Yami smiled "Isn't that right?"

Delia just remained silent

"Well she betrayed that trust. There a hierarchy in these circles. Master/Slave, Dominant/Submissive, Top/Bottom, Seme/Uke whatever you wanna call it. I was Submissive and she was my Dominant."

Nami raised an eye brow "Submissive?"

Yami laughed "Is that really so hard to believe?"

Nami thought for a moment "Well…no... Sanji said he likes serving people, he's not really assertive, and tends to be fine with what other people want… though if he feels strongly about something he'll argue his point, he leads when he needs to… and he sure doesn't act submissive in bed." Said Nami

Yami turned to her and grinned and mischievously playful grin "That's because _I_ took over love."

"Ah." Nami smiled

Delia finaly spoke up "Um…why are you talk about Sanji in the third person? He's right here?"

Nami turned back to Delia. "Oh no dear, this is Yami…he's Sanji's dark alter ego. It's not exactly full blown Split Personality Disorder any more, they're starting to meld together more, but every so often Yami takes over." Nami explained to her casually "He fully manifested shortly after you betrayed Sanji and shattered his heart into a million tiny pieces. This is why he can speak so harshly to you. Sanji still has _some_ control over him so he won't hurt you. So how does it feel to cause someone to go insane?" Nami knew that it wasn't completely Delia's fault Sanji had gone crazy, others had contributed long before she had come along…but if Nami couldn't hit her for real like she really, _really _wanted to, she'd attack with words. Word hurt just as much as fists sometimes. And these words really did seem to hurt Delia…

"You see Nami dear," Yami continued "there's an understanding that who's ever on top protects those that are underneath them. The ones that are submissive trust that the dominant will keep them safe and not hurt them…well you know, not hurt them past a certain point. One way dominates do this is to have a collar on their submissive…"

"Like a pet or something?" Asked Nami

Yami tilted his head thoughtfully "Hmm, I guess that's the general idea. It's like a dog with his master. The master takes care of him and in return the dog loves his master unconditionally."

Now _that_ sounded like Sanji. Nami thought. He really was like a little puppy dog back when she first met him. He still kind of was sometimes actually.

"You have the leash and collar on you pet to protect them, so people know that they're yours… same kind of thing in these kinds of circles. A collar on a submissive means you belong to someone. Another dominate can't tough you with out permission."

"And a submissive with out a collar?" Asks Nami

"Same as a stray pet on the street, anyone can take them home."

"And Delia didn't have one on Sanji." Said Nami

"She did… but then, while he was still tied up and gagged during a game one night, she took it away… It pretty much said he was anyone's meat to do what they pleased. I really don't want to go into details what happened after that, but you can image the effect that kind of thing had. After that she just left. Like all the others."

Nami didn't have to imagine the effect it had had. She knew. To fully and completely trust someone and then to have that trust shattered. Nami glared at Delia "Why? Why do that?"

"I…I was bored with him. He was way _too _submissive for me…I don't know what I was thinking…and I really have no excuse. It didn't go over well at all with group when they realized Sanji didn't know what I was going to do that night. Usually when you do something like that you've talked it over and the submissive is ok with it. They bared me from the group and black listed me. The only clubs I could get into where the less reputable ones where the really _sadistic_ sadists hung out… I mean there _are_ those that fill the dark stereo types. There's ones where it's just a fetish they satisfy on the weekends then go back to their normally 9 to 5 jobs and then there're the ones where something in their brains is just _off_, seriously insane. That's what eventually got me in the trouble I am now. I pissed one off _really_ bad."

Delia cringed "Hou, not only is he gonna kill me, he's gonna make it painfully slow _and_ he's gonna get off doing it. I know I did some bad things in the past, but not bad enough to get _killed_. "

Nami raised an eye brow but decided to hold her tongue.

Delia looked back up at Sanji and Nami. "I've been hiding out for like a year now…but then I was like 'I can't hide out forever' so I though, I need to find someone to help me get this guy off my back. But they'd have to be really badass, so I was like, The Mugiwara Pirates are as badass as you can get! No one fucks with the King of Pirates or anyone affiliated with them. But then everyone told me you could only get official affiliation from _The_ King himself and you can't find him _anywhere_…"

True. Thought Nami. No one knew _where_ the hell Luffy was. Some think he went back to the Grand Line, who knew for sure…

"But then." Delia continues "I heard you could get afflation from his original inner circle. The _Legendary_ Pirates that were with The King on his first voyage, before he became King. That's why I came here. Not only did I hear this island was great to find a job, since it's a newly developed Island, but I also heard a rumor that two of the Legendary Pirates were here. Is it true?"

It was widely known on the Isaland that that Sanji and Nami were once pirates. They had many pirate flags and old wanted posters up all over the bar area of their restaurant including their own old wanted posters framed. However it was known to only a handful of people on the island that they had actually sailed under the King of Pirates. It was widely known that Cristo Island was part of the protected territories of the Mugiwara Armada. But no one really knew who on the island had the afflation with the group. Now a days Luffy was only known as The King of Pirates, and the original crew was referred to as 'The Legendary Pirates' or 'The Kings Inner Circle'. And even if people new their names hardly anyone knew what they actually looked like anymore. As stories and legends do, their featuers and charateristics were greatly exggagerated. People usually just passed Sanji and Nami off as simply having the same names as the Legendary Pirates, just a coincidence. No way, a nice, ordinary, down to earth couple like Sanji and Nami could be _the_ Sanji and Nami, the Steel Leg disciple of Red Leg Zeff and genius cartographer, navigator and master thief that caused the fall of the notorious Arlong Pirate group. People believed what they wanted to maintain their peaceful way of living.

Sanji and Nami exchanged sly looks

"It is ture isn't it?" asked Delia

They added sly smiles to thier sly looks.

"Ya it's ture. They are here." Nami said casually with a hint of deviance

Delia "Do you know where I can find them?"  
She looked back and forth and Sanji and Nami with hopeful eyes.

Sanji and Nami give her wide Cheshire Cat grins.

"Ah, don't tell me..." Delia's raised spirits plumit

Sanji and Nami pull down their collars and turn to show her the tattoos of the Straw hated skull and cross bones of the Mugiwara Jolly Rodger.

"No way." Delia groans dejectedly as puts her head down on the table

Nami looks at Sanji "Catches on quick doesn't she? Though I'm surprised she didn't figure it out sooner."

"Ya, me too." Agreed Sanji

"So waddaya think love?" Asked Nami. "Should we show compassion and forgiveness and grant this poor girl clemency."

"Hmmm, I don't know…" Said Sanji

"For someone that was talking big about being able to handle herself in a tough crowd and not being intimidated by big burly brutes. You sure do seem intimidated now." Says Nami

"Hou…" agonizes Delia "There a difference between a mindless brute and an evil psycho. Pirates are after treasure and junk, you can buy them off. But this guys is a really live, full blooded no shit Sociopath. Being a Sadist _and_ a Sociopath is _not_ a good combination."

"Very true." Says Sanji

"I guess we should just stick to the code for this one then." Says Nami

Sanji nods "Hmm the code…"

"The code?" Asks Delia "Like, the _Pirates_ Code?"

"The _Kings_ Code." Says Nami "W.W.L.D."

Delia tilts her head to one side "Hu?"

"What would Luffy do?" Says Sanji

"When considering one for affiliation in place of the Pirate King we can't let our personal biases or feelings be a factor." Explains Nami.

"The reason the members of the original inner circle can grant affiliation in the absence of the Pirate King is because we know him and his feelings better than anyone else." Says Sanji.

"So what do you think?" Asks Nami "Would Luffy grant her affiliation?"

"Well he let Robin join and she was part of and evil organization that tried to kill us and in her other jobs she was an assassin. " Said Sanji

Someone suddenly sneezed from behind Sanji and Nami "My, my, Hikaru-chan, someone seems to be gossiping about your dear sweet mother."

"Ah Robin, prefect." Says Nami "You can put in an impartial opinion."

"Impartial opinion on what?" Asks Robin as she sits down next to Delia.

"She's pleading sanctuary and wants affiliation." Explains Sanji gesturing at Delia

"But she has "_history_" with Sanji." Says Nami

"I take it not good history." Says Robin

Nami smiles "Meet Diana."

Robin looked at the girl sitting next to her and then to Sanji. "Diana?! _That_ Diana. The Diana that dumped you so bad you went on a downward spiral of sorrow and despair? This is the girl that tortured and tormented you after shattering your heart into tiny pieces all those years ago?"

"Yup." Nodded Sanji.

"Thought apparently its _Delia_ now." Nami lowered her voice to a whisper mocking Delia a bit " 'Cause _Diana's_ in deep shit'…"

"Ah is that so. I can see why you need an impartial." Said Robin "What's her situation?"

Nami explained about the psycho sadist being after Delia.

"That _is_ frightening indeed." Said Robin "And do you mind asking what exactly she did to Sanji?"

They told her an abridged version of what happened in the past.

"I see." Robin paused to deliberate, turning the information over in her head.

After a moment Robin speaks up "Here's what I think."

Sanji and Nami lean in to listen more intently. Being the oldest and wisest member of the Inner Circle, they greatly respected Robin and valued her opinions and input.

"Luffy would most likely be sympathetic to her predicament and initially grant her affiliation…"

"Really?!" Delia asked excitedly

"However." Robin said sternly shifting her eyes to Delia

Delia's excitement faded "However…"

"Sanji is a close and dear friend to Luffy and he would surely take into account the atrocious betrayal."

Delia's sprits plummeted for the countless time. "I figured as much…"

Robin turned to look at Delia fully "To grant you affiliation I believe Luffy would need you to answer one question."

"And what question is that?" asked Delia

"Are you sorry for what you did to Sanji?"

"I…um…" the question took Delia by surprise. She looked over at Sanji for a moment and then looked down and thought for a moment.

"Yes." she said "I feel terrible. I didn't at first. I didn't even care. It's true. I was an evil bitch. But after I did what I did, my life started to spiral downwards. For years I've been living a pitiful and degrading existence, and now this guy is after me. In the past year I've been running and hiding from this guy, I thought 'What did I do to deserve all this?' and then I looked back on all the terrible things I'd done in the past, the kind of person I was."

She looks up at Sanji and tears are streaking down her face. "I remember what I did you Sanji. It was the worst thing someone could do to another person. You were such a kind sweet caring person. You loved me, you trusted me and I betrayed you in the worst possible way. I've actually been thinking a lot about you lately…wondering if you were ok. I thought about your personality and how what I did would've affected you. I probably messed you up really bad didn't I? You've had a lot of issues haven't you? With your split personality and most likely a bunch of other things. You were such a beautiful kind person and I broke you."

Delia fully burst out into tears at that point. "I'm so sorry. I know you can never ever forgive me and I don't expect to you to."

Nami's heart went out to Delia. She knew what she was going through. Nami had been thought it herself. She had hurt and broke Sanji in the past as well. Sanji had forgiven her, but the guilt still tore her apart even now after so many years. It took everything Nami had not to start crying too.

"But you know what?" Delia had calmed down a bit and wasn't crying as hard. "Now that I see you now, I'm really glad to know, in spite of all that, you turned out ok. You were a pirate sailing under the Pirate King and now your a legend. You're the owner and head chef at a world famous restaurant, you achieved your dream of finding all blue and you're married, about to have a kid. I'm really happy for you and glad you're better off that me. I know I don't deserve to be forgiven, but I don't wanna die. I want to start over."

Robin looked at Sanji and Nami giving them a knowing smile. They smiled back.

Nami started to giggle

"What?" asked Delia "What's so funny? I was being sincere…"

"I know, I'm sorry…I was just thinking of Luffy…You would've had him at 'Yes, I feel terrible.' He has the attention span of a 5 year old…he wouldn't have sat through a long apology like that, no matter how sincere or meaningful it is.''

Nami started to laugh harder and it was Robin's turn to start giggling "That's true. She would have said that and before she could say any more he would have been like 'Hai. Ok.' given her that big grin of his and turned his attention straight to something else."

Thinking of that made Nami laugh harder causing Sanji's grin to turn into a laugh as well. "Ya, probably food. He'd be like, "I'm hungry. Sanji! Food!"

All three of the ex-pirates burst out laughing thinking about their friend and former captain. Delia was feeling a bit uncomfortable and confused, like being the only person not in on an inside joke.

Robin sensed this and turned to Delia "Luffy is extremely simple minded." She explained "It doesn't take much to making him happy."

"Or get him pissed off." Added Nami

"Or calm him down from getting pissed off…" Said Sanji "Unless you did something to his hat. Then you were just dead."

Robin continued ignoring the side commentary. "But because of his simple minded nature, he could see clearly things others couldn't because they're caught up with other complex ideas that are swarming in their minds. So in a sense, in spite of his simple mindedness, Luffy is an extremely wise person. You wouldn't have had to give a long speech to prove your sincerity, he would have already been able to sense it, and just the fact you were able to admit you did something wrong and say your sorry would be enough for him." Robin smiled

"Then…you mean…he'd help me out? I'm granted affiliation?" Asked Delia

"Certainly." Robin smiled

"YAT-TAAA!" Delia through her arms around Robin

Nami raised an eye brow "What is it with her and wanting to hug things?"

"She always was a touchy feely person." Said Sanji

"Yay! This is the first time in a long time things are looking up for me. I can't thank you enough. I owe you guys major! For the job and everything else. You want me to do _anything_, just name it. Like you know, if you need a baby sitter or…"

"No way I'm letting you within 20 feet of my kid." Sanji cuts her off coldly

Delia attempted to shrink again.

"The King of Pirates may forgive and excuse your past, but you still have to earn your trust." Says Nami. "Getting the Captain to wave you in is only the first step. You start at square one like everyone else."

Delia nods "I understand."

"Good." Says Nami. "Now finish eating then come to the back office and we'll get started on your paper work."

Delia nodded

Nami turned back to Robin "Ah, Robin, did you come down here for something in particular?"

"No not really, Hikaru and I were just going to head out for a walk before lunch." Robin stood up with Hikaru. "Wave bye, bye now." Robin held up one of Hikaru's arms to wave with.

Nami waved back "Bye bye Hee-chan Aunty Nami and Uncle Sanji will see you later."

"As for _You." _Nami turned to Sanji and poked him in the arm "You have the lunch rush to prepare for."

"Hai, Hai." Said Sanji as he gets up to head back to the kitchen. As he pushed the door to the kitchen open he gave a deep sigh. "I picked a hell of a time to quit smoking."

* * *

Haha! So now Diana...Delia is working for Sanji and Nami now...Wild shinaigans insue!... well not really...I picture Nami and Delia tradeing insults back and fourth and being bithcy to each other XD Oh Delia's SO gonna be Nami's bitch...I'm so bad.

But now, we have the Creepy Stalker Guy2 in the form of Psyco Sadist Guy...tho it won't end tragicly the way it did with Creepy Salker Guy. Promise.


	8. Family Origins Arc: 3

"Delia, I need you to work an extra shift today." Says Nami casually as she walks through Baratte's waiting area past Delia on her way towards the kitchen. "Hey Patty! Have you done inventory yet? We need to put in the food order today…"

"What!?" Delia follows after Nami.

"Have you suddenly gone deaf?" Nami asks callously "I said need you to work an extra shift... Patty I need that inventory like five minutes ago."

"No _way_!" protests Delia "I'm already working opening _and_ the lunch rush."

"Ya, well now you're working the dinner rush too."

"WHAT!?" Delia exclaims.

"You really need to get your hearing checked. Patty! You _know_ Sanji's gonna be pissed if he finds out you made me drag myself way the hell over here in my condition to fetch inventory from you." Yells an 8 month pregnant Nami.

Patty quickly emerges from the kitchen "Hai Hai Nami san. So sorry, we had a minor set back this morning, the new chef was being a dumb ass again... We'll have it done in just a few minutes...in the mean time sit down and take a load off your feet…" Before Nami could inquire any further about anything Patty escaped back into the kitchen.

Nami gave a sigh and takes a seat at a table. "I'm doomed of a life forever surrounded by idiots."

"No way!" Delia protest

"Why are you still here?" Nami asked in an annoyed tone.

"I'm not working _both_ rushes." Says Delia sternly

"You don't have a choice." says Nami bluntly "Either work it or I'll dock your pay. I know you need the money…You've grow accustom to the lifestyle you can now afford given your blatantly over paid salary." Nami looked Delia up and down and smiled "Nice outfit. Proda?"

"Bitch." Spat Delia

"Skank." Nami shoots back

"You're working me like a slave here!" gripes Delia

"That's not true." Says Nami "If you were a slave I wouldn't have to pay you. No hostess in the world makes the kind of cash you do."

"This is _so_ not fair!" Complains Delia. "Its exploitation!"

Nami shrugs "Once a Pirate always a Pirate. Old habits and all... Look. The new guy up and quit last night after the battle with the Pirate Ninjas, so unless you can find someone new to hire between now and then you're working the rushes. Ah, hey I know. Maybe you can call up one of your fellow dealers of pain and pleasure to come help you out…oh wait, you can't, 'cause they disowned you for cruelly mistreating your submissive… "

"OMG! Can you _be_ anymore of a bitch!?" fumed Delia

"Why yes, yes I can." Nods Nami "Miss Skank, who has a psycho sadist after her skank ass. What was it you said? '…not only is he gonna kill me, he's gonna make it painfully slow and get off doing it…' Don't forget who saved your skinny little ass by granting you affiliation. You're _my_ bitch now, so if I say you're working an extra shift you're working an extra shift and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

"Wow. Have you ever considered being a Dominatrix? You'd be _really_ good at it. A lot of people are into being screwed over by hard ass flaming bitches." Jeered Delia

Nami tiled her head to one side and gave a sly smile "Ya…seems like fun, but I'm really not into vinyl and leather."

"Hai. Nami san!" Patty emerges from the kitten. "I have the inventory all finished for you."

"Freaken Finally." Nami gets up from the table…or at least, she tries to. Nami gives a sigh. "Little help here Patty."

"Ah, of course Nami san." Patty goes over to help Nami get back on her feet.

"Thanks." Nami starts to make her way to the exit. Just as she was about to head out the door Nami turns back around "Oh ya, Delia, I need you to work all day on the fifth too."

"All day?!" complains Delia

"Yes." Chimes Nami "It's the Island wide of King of Pirates Birthday Celebration Festival and the two restaurants vend it…you _know_ that."

"Ya, but..." Delia was about to protest but Nami shook a finger at her.

"Uh uh," Nami Chimes "What did we just discuss now?"

Delia sighs with annoyance "Yes _Mistress_." She says in a mocking sarcastic tone.

Nami cocks her head to one side. "Ooh, I kinda like the sound of that." She and smiles and continues to walk through the door.

…..

It's the end of April nearly May and Cristo Island was getting ready for one of the biggest events of the year, the celebration of the Pirate King's birthday. Luffy's birthday was celebrated not only within his protected territories, but all over the world making it a kind of unofficial international holiday. It was Sanji and Nami's fault for starting the world wide craze. Every year since the original crew disbanded, the crew, wherever they were, would unconsciously stop everything they were involved with in their busy lives on the 5th of May and celebrate the birthday of the man that had changed their lives for the better. This tradition continued even once Sanji and Nami opened the restaurant on Cristo Island at the start of a new year. The restaurant's business was already booming by its 4th month and the Island and the majority of its business had developed around it. So it was a shock to everyone when they found out the restaurant and all business associated with it would be completely closed for on May 5th. When asked why, Sanji and Nami just smiled and said "Because it's the King of Pirate's birthday."

After hearing their reasoning, other people on the island felt it was very good reason indeed to take the day off and followed suit. So that year, everyone on Cristo Island took the day off to observe the King of Pirates birthday. There was an informal potluck picnic in the town square and everyone sat around enjoying good food and swapped Pirate King Stories. When the day had come to an end, the people talked about making it a bigger event for next year and everyone thought it was a grand idea.

By the next year, the idea had spread to all of the territories protected under the Pirate Kings Jolly Roger. And now only three years since Sanji and Nami continued the tradition on the small island smack in the middle of All Blue, the day had become a grand festival and everyone the whole community stopped everything they where working on, whatever it was, to pitch in organizing events.

The festival on Cristo Island was the biggest and most famous Pirate King Birthday Celebration Festival in the world and people came from all over to attend. The biggest event was the 'Kings Picnic' vended in part by The Restaurant Celest along with other restaurants, bakeries and pastry shops on the island, setting up mini outdoor restaurants and cafes in the huge town square. Other events of the picnic included the cooking contest, judged by Sanji and his father along with famous guest chefs that would come. The contest brought chefs from all over the world competing for the title 'King of Chefs'. There was also the 'Rubber Stomach' eating contest, to see who had an apatite as big as the Pirate King himself.

Another popular event was the 'Tales of the Pirate King'. Every year one of the original crew members told the story of when they first met the man who would be King of Pirates which of course included the story of an epic battle of some kind. It was a traditional event that started from the first year of the festival on Cristo Island. That first year Sanji and Nami told Luffy's story of how he got his famous Straw Hat, ate the Gomu Gomu Fruit and decided to go off and become a pirate. Last year Zoro had been in the area to see Robin and be around for the birth of his son, so he had come to festival and told the story about how he'd met Luffy, the battle with the corrupted Naval Commander Ax Morgan and how he had joined Luffy's "crew" when it wasn't even a crew yet. Robin that year had also told the story about how she had meet Luffy, his epic battle with Sir Crocodile and how he had saved her life against her will.

This year in commemoration of Baratte opening on Cristo Island, Sanji would tell how Luffy had come crashing into his life and tell the tale of battle between Luffy the former King and terror of East Blue Don Kreg. Also for an extra surprise the Pirate Fighting Cooks had planed a fight with a pirate group that would "crash" the picnic towards the end of Sanji's story.

During the week leading up to the festival Cristo Islands business were shut down and everyone was helping set up.

And of course Nami was right in the middle of it shouting orders.

"The propane tanks for the portable stoves go over there! … After you set up the makeshift fence around our space have the florist guild help arrange the potted trees and flowers around it! ... Oh just stack the chairs up over there for now."

Sanji and the other chefs stood back and watched Nami work.

"Your wife sure likes bossing people around." Says Erick

Sanji shrugs not taking offence to the young boy's comment. He knew his wife and though she had softened up a bit being with Sanji over the years, she'd never truly lost her high powered executive behavior. "Eh, she has a knack for it. Sure back when we were pirating, Luffy was the Captain, but when it came to the actual sailing she was boss. Countless times her quick precise orders saved us from capsizing in the worst gales the Grand Line threw at us."

"She's a very talented woman. Ya did good landing a catch like her." Praised Alex slapping his son on the back.

"Heh, it wasn't easy pop. She fought back." Laughed Sanji

"But you didn't give up and reeled her in."

"What is it with men and sports metaphors?" Jessica gives an exasperated sigh. "Honestly, comparing Nami san to some fish."

"Ah, that's just the way men are Jessica darling." Laughs Alex. "Our simple minds don't have the capacity for the deep complexities women's are capable of. A woman is a creature far superior to men and thus is the reason men, as far simpler beings than their finer counterparts, should worship women like the goddess like beings they are. So please excuse us lowly simple minded fools as we observe and comment in our own primitive way."

Jessica smiles "Well, if you're gonna use flattery and wisdom in your apology, I guess I can forgive you."

"Oi! Are you guys just gonna stand around gawking? Aren't there things you can be doing?" Nami had paused a moment from barking orders to chide the idle chefs.

"Ah, yes yes of course. Whatever instruction you give, we will happily and obediently follow." Says Alex, turning his charm and flattery on Nami. "But my dear sweet child, you shouldn't be on your feet right now, you should sit down. You shouldn't trouble yourself to put forth such a big effort. This is a festival, not a squall in the middle of a treacherous ocean. You should relax." Alex walks over to Nami and guides her to a chair.

"Ho no Alex. If I sit down I won't be able to get back up again." Nami protested

"I wouldn't have it any other way. There's no need for you to be up and about in the first place." Smiles Alex. "You're due practically any day."

Nami laughs "You caught Ussop's habit of exaggeration old man. I still have a good two weeks. Thank you for your concern Alex but really, I'm fine." Smiles Nami trying hard not to fall prey to Alex's honed persuasion technique.

"Now young lady." Alex continued smiling but his tone had changed into one of deep fatherly firmness. "I would not have my own daughter in law, who is bearing my first ever grandchild, overexerting herself."

Nami smiled with a sigh knowing she had lost. "Well if you're gonna get all fatherly on me." Nami took the seat Alex offered her. "There, I'm sitting. Happy now." She says with mock annoyance

"Extremely." Alex smiles "Now my dear. What would you have of us?"

Nami couldn't help but to smile. "Well now that I think about it…I really can't think of anything you guys should be doing at the moment…you can't do food prep or anything until our space is all set up…"

"Is there anything you need Nami dear?" Alex asked

"You should be hungry by now." Said Sanji coming up behind his father.

Nami sighed. "Sanji really, I just ate lunch…"

"Three hours ago." Said Sanji "You're eating for two now, the baby must have you craving something by now…"

"A fine point son." Said Alex. "We'll make you something back at the restaurant. What ever it is you're craving we'll cook up for you."

Nami sighed again. "I kinda wish I was due any day…I knew even before I married Sanji that I'd be pampered by him once I got pregnant…what I didn't foresee is that Sanji's Master from whom he learned his praising and pampering techniques," Nami gesturing at Alex "would be around as well. I like pampering just as much as the next girl, but really guys, this is a bit much…"

Sanji and his father looked at each other for a moment and then back at Nami and shrugged smiling with a look that said 'Sorry that's just the way we are.'

Nami smiled at the two doting devoted men in her life. "I guess it can't be helped..." Nami looked at Alex and then to his son, "It seems to be genetic. If we have a son, I feel for the woman he should end up with…"

Alex and Sanji laugh out loud.

Nami laughs with them, but suddenly Nami felt something. "Ooh." Nami said with a bit of surprise and put her hand on her stomach.

"What?" Sanji asked with a bit of worry. "Is there something wrong?"

Nami shook her head and smiled up at Sanji. "No, I'm fine. The baby just kicked."

* * *

Wow, that chapter went from bitchy to warm and fuzzy...how strange it that?

the next chapter will have conflict and I'm thinking some kind of battle...so it will take a while since I suck at writing conflict and fighting...


	9. Family Origins Arc: 4

**Famliy Origins Arc part 4 **

The festival was in full swing and everyone was having fun celebrating the Pirate King's birthday.

"How old _is_ Luffy turning this year any way?" Asked Nami

"Um…I dunno…" Says Sanji after thinking about it a moment "We kinda lost track the second time we went to the Grand Line. It's hard to keep track of time there, since you can't tell by the seasons…"

"So how old was he when you guys first entered the Grand Line the second time?" Asked Erik

"Twenty…something…ish?" Said Nami tilting her head to one side

They all laughed

…

The King of Chefs was crowned and the Rubber Stomach winner was contently passed out. It was now late after noon and people had gathered around the band stand and Sanji and the Fighting Chefs started telling the tale of how the Man who would be King of Pirates had come crashing into their lives.

As Sanji started telling his story a pirate ship sailed up to the docks of Cristo Island. One of the fighting chefs went up to the ship. He had been waiting for the pirate group that was going to "crash" the festival.

"It's about damn time!" the Chef yelled "We expected you here over an hour ago!"

"Hey!" Delia yelled from up the boardwalk "Are those the pirates for the staged fight?"

The fighting chef turned towards Delia and started to call back. But then suddenly, something long and black lashed out from on the deck, wrapped around the chef's neck and he was suddenly yanked up onto the ship.

"What the…? Hey! What's the big idea?" Delia exclaimed and started running towards the pirate ship.

Before she got far, she saw the ships Jolly Rodger, making her stop in her tracks.

…

"And then Luffy says "Oi, old man. If I take care of this guy for ya, are we even?"

The crowed all laughed.

Sanji opened his mouth to continue his story but was suddenly interrupted by a loud scream

"What's that?" asks Nami

"Sounds like Delia." Says Sanji

Sanji saw Delia running towards the crowd. The people parted as she made her way to the stage. She stopped just short of were Sanji was standing and sank to her knees out of breath.

"Damn it" says Patty in a low voice to Delia "You're too early. You were supposed to wait for the signal."

"Not…who we…hired." said Delia between gasps.

"What? What do you mean?" asked Sanji

"He took…Jacque." She gasped "How did he…find me?"

"What are you babbling about?" Asked Nami "Who took Jacque?"

But before Delia could speak malevolent laughter filled the air. It seemed to come from everywhere at once echoing through the square. It made Delia tremble like a leaf.

Everyone turned to see where the laughter was coming from.

The laughter died down and a voice spoke. "Well, well, what have we here? A party, how delightful." The voice came from above. The people looked up and saw someone crouching on a rooftop. The person stood up slowly, keeping their head lowered. Though the face was hidden by a long thick curtain of bone straight blood red hair that went to the waist, you could tell from the body structure the person was male. He was tall, just shy of seven feet. He wore a long black trench coat that had the sleeves torn off. He wore no shirt under the coat and his pants were tight tattered black jeans. It showed off the lean athletically sculpted body. A tattoo of a fierce black dragon clung to his chest and a red snake tattoo coiled around his right arm. The left arm had a Pirate Jolly Roger of some kind that couldn't be made out from where he was standing. The nipples were pierced as well as what was visible of his ears.

The man tilted his head to one side and slowly looked up, causing some hair to fall to one side so he could peek through it with one eye. The eye searched and found Delia. Spotting her the eye widened and a crazed twisted grin spread across the man face.

The low dark voice that rumbled from the cavernous depths of the man's throat, made Delia's blood run cold. "Hello sweetness."

Delia cringed in terror.

The man gave another malevolent laugh and leaped into the air. The crowd of people scattered as he landed hard on the ground. He stood up casually as if had done nothing but hoped down off a table or something and not from the roof of a two-story building he had been on.

Frantic, Delia scurried up and hid herself behind Sanji, clinging to his shirt trembling.

"Psycho Sadist Guy I presume?" Nami asked Delia as she came up to stand by Sanji.

Delia only nodded too terrified to speak.

"Now is that anyway to greet a dear old friend?" The man said as he started walking towards them. "We haven't seen each other in so long." The crowd parted and has he walked.

Gasps started to arise from the crowd as people could finally see the Pirate Jolly Roger on his. Murmurs of 'Akuma' and 'Shinigami' rippled through the crowd.

Sanji raised an eyebrow "Akuma? Akuma Naraku?"

The man, newly identified, smirked, spread his arms out wide and gave a head-tilting bow. "The one and only." He turned to show the Jolly Roger that was tattooed on his arm. It was a Skull with Demonic horns and Crossed Sickles behind it, the Mark of the Shinigami Pirates. One of the most feared Pirate groups for being absolutely ruthless and full of nothing psychopaths. They liked killing, got pleasure from killing. They killed in cold blood, without remorse and got off on messing with peoples heads as they did it.

"Wow." Said Erick "You weren't kidding when you said you were in deep shit. That freak is the _last_ guy I'd want pissed at me."

"Why the hell didn't you tell us Psycho Sadist Guy was Akuma Naraku of the Shinigami Pirate group?!" Nami yelled "In your description of the guy you couldda mentioned the tattoo on his arm! The pirate mark would have been a dead give away."

"That little detail slipped my mind… But what the hell does it matter now! You guys are the Legendary Pirates of the Pirate Kings Inner Circle aren't you?! Kick his ass!!!"

"Ho? Legendary Pirates?" Akuma looked over at Sanji and Nami and laughed "These two? I could snap this scrawny little girly man over my knee."

"Ha!" laughed Nami "I'd like to see you try freak!"

"Oooh, bitchy" Smiled Akuma. "You'd be fun to break."

"What's this freak babbling about?" asked Nami

"His greatest pleasure is breaking strong women and making them submit to him." Said Delia

"Well I hate to spoil your fun." Said Sanji darkly as he lit up a cigarette, "But that's not gonna happen."

"Ooh. Is that so?" asked Akuma.

"Ya. That's so." he said

Sanji had made his trade mark change in attitude Nami had seen countless times over the years. Dark antagonistic and aggressively hostel. Nami grinned slightly knowing this demeanor, and knew psycho sadist was gonna hurt bad…though… maybe he was into all that?

"Wow, he's all badass now." Said Delia seeing Sanji "It's so...hot."

"Having second thoughts about dumping him?" Nami asked putting on a boasting eat-your-heart-out grin

"Kinda..." Delia sulked

"You are in a territory under the protection of the Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy." Said Sanji "If you have come here to do harm I have to ask you to leave."

"Huh!" said Delia "WTF! Your not gonna kick his ass!"

"He's just following protocol." Says Nami

"Hoou..." Smiles Akuma "And what if I don't wanna leave?"

"Then I will have to make you leave by force." Said Sanji

"Ha! You and what army?" laughed Akuma

Alex stepped up to stand next to his son. Jessica came up too followed by all of the Fighting Cooks.

"Oooh, aren't you a tough looking bunch." Akuma turned around and gave a loud whistle and the other members of the Shinigami Pirate group started to emerge. They popped up from the rooftops and from between buildings and filed the outer edges of the town square. Even with all of the Fighting Chefs, they were greatly out numbered.

Though the numbers didn't make Sanji or the others blink. He had dealt with these odds a hundred times over.

Sanji took one long drag off his cigarette and then put it out. "Delia!" He called

"Y-ya?" the trembling girl answered

"Time to prove your self worthy of the Mugiwara Pirates. If you wanna earn major brownie points with us you must do what I tell you without hesitation."

"What? What do you want me to do?"

"Protect Nami at all costs. Once the dust settles, I don't need to tell you what will happen to you if she's dead and you're still alive." Sanji turns his head and looks down at Delia with eyes filed with darkness pulled from the deepest depths of his very being. "There's no where you can hide and no one who will protect you."

The dark look sent a chill down Delia's spine and knew the worst thing that could happen to her was not being tortured to death by Akuma Naraku, but having to bear the wrath of a man who lost the most precious thing he had in this world.

Delia looked at the others and saw Alex had the same dark look.

…

"OMG! OMG! OMG!" Delia shaking huddled in the corner of the house her and Nami took refuge in.

"Oi." Said Nami. "What kind of bodyguard are you? What the hell was Sanji thinking having _you_ protect me?"

"What have I done? I destroyed such a good pure person. Maybe I do deserver what ever Akuma will do to me."

"Delia!" Nami grabbed the sobbing girl's shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself."

But Delia wasn't listing. She was only mumbling erratically.

"Oi! Snap out of it!" Nami slapped Delia across the face bringing her back to her senses. "Listen to me. It's not your fault…not entirely."

"What do you mean?" Delia asks "Sanji wasn't like that when we were together. That darkness wasn't there before."

"Yes it was." Nami said seriously "It was there long before he even met you. It was there, sleeping. All you did was wake it up. It would have happened eventually, if not by you, then someone else."

"What do you mean?" Delia, wide eyed

Nami sighed "You saw Alex just now didn't you? Didn't you notice that he had the same dark aura Sanji did?"

"Now that you mention it…" Delia remembering the dark bone chilling look in the older man's eyes. Thinking about it sent a chill down her spin. "But how can that be? Alex is such a nice gentle guy. I've never seen him like that."

"Has anyone told you anything about Sanji's mother?" Nami asked

"One of the chefs told me that the restaurant was named after her…"

"Sanji never told you what happened to her?" questioned Nami

"Just that she died when he was a little kid…but he never told me how. I assumed it was an illness."

Nami shook her head. "Murdered. Some psycho stalker kidnapped her, raped her then killed her. Sanji was the one who found her body. To make matters worse, she has been pregnant. Not enough to show yet but still. Alex lost his wife and his second child all at once."

Delia gasped and her eyes went wide. "Oh my god…oh my…that's…"

"Alex lost it." Nami continued "He hunted the guy down and slaughtered him like he would a beef cow. He went to prison. You wouldn't know it though. He hides it well. Just like Sanji hides it. They wear their happy personas like a mask, hiding the darkness that was born the day some creep shattered their world by taking the thing they held most dear in this world. You didn't cause Sanji's darkness Delia. You were just one drop in the bucket; it's just that yours happened to be the drop that made the whole thing over flow. You're not the first person to break Sanji's heart, nor were you the last."

Nami looked down letting her hair fall over her eyes "You didn't get tired of Sanji…did you Delia."

"Eh?" asked the confused girl

"The reason why you dumped him." Said Nami "You didn't really get sick of him. He wasn't too submissive for you. It was that he was too nice wasn't it? He loved you too much. He cared for you too much."

"Nami?"

"Sanji was a mama's boy. He loved his mother with all his little heart. He adored his mother. But just before he could out grow that phase his mother was taken from him. He still had so much love to give but no one to give it too. In that short time of his life he was showered with love and attention and witnessed a fairy tale love between is mother and father. But that world was shattered. After that he craved the love and attention he once had. But where else could he get that kind of love? Who else could give him that kind of love? And who else could possibly deserve the love he would give in return."

"The reason why he acted like such a flaming dork…" said Delia "He was acting out. He just wanted attention didn't he? He always wanted approval from Zeff. He always pushed himself so hard. I always felt there was something a bit off with him…that something might be wrong…but I just ignored it…"

"I'm guilty of the same crimes you are Delia. I ignored it too. And I also tried pushing him away. There was no way I deserved to be loved by him. I still don't believe I deserve his love."

"But you guys are still together though…" said Delia

Nami nodded "True. Because I stopped thinking of myself. The whole time I was thinking '_I_ don't deserve him.' 'He's too good for _me'_… but then I thought, 'what about Sanji?' 'what about his feelings?' All he wanted was to be loved. Surely after all he's been through he of all people deserves to be loved, doesn't he? And if I don't love him, who will? I did love him and if he's happy with the love I gave him then who am I to deny him that. And so, I gave in. I let him love me. And I promised myself I'd do whatever I could to make him happy and feel loved. I'd give him children he could love and would love him back… Ah --"

"What? What is it?"

…

Sanji dusted his hands off as the notorious Akuma Naraku collapsed. Though, you couldn't really tell it was him since he was so jacked up. "How boring. All that hype and drama and you end up being a weakling. Fucker."

"That's easy for you to say Sanji!" cried one of the fighting chefs nursing a few dozen broken bones "Not all of us are legendary pirates like you. Some of us didn't fair so well."

"Eeh?" Said Sanji "Don't cry to me 'cause you're a bunch of weaklings too."

"Aw, how can you be so cruel" Cried the chefs with streaming tears

"Dad isn't even a fighter plus he's an old man and he still held his own. You call your selves fighter?" said Sanji lighting up "Fucking embarrassment."

"SAAANJIII!"

"Eh?" Sanji spun around dropping his cigarette. He saw Delia running towards him.

"What? What's wrong? Nami – "

"Nami's… ok… don't worry." Delia panted trying to catch her breath. "It's the baby…It's coming."

"WHAT!!!" Sanji exclaimed

"I took her to Dr. Kaya's then ran strait here. I—" But Delia couldn't finish what she was saying 'cause Sanji was off like a bat outta Hell."

* * *

Gah! An update. This took forever I know -- I was distracted by my other fics plus I was stuck at the fighting scene… I don't even know how to _begin_ to write and action fighting scene, I was stuck with trying to write it for so long, I finally gave up and opted not to. I didn't wanna try and BS my way thorough it and give you some half assed thing. Plus after watching the CP9 Arc I figured it would be cake for Sanji to take out a bunch of measly pirates. I also didn't wanna gross any one out with the graphic details of the kind of carnage Sanji and his father would wreak on a group that threatens their loved ones… especially Alex, having lost his true love and not wanting his son to experience the same thing and also not wanting to lose the daughter he never got a chance to have and his first ever grandchild. 

Alex would have made a good pirate and could have captained his own crew…but he opted to follow his true calling as a chef to the fullest.

Akuma Naraku- I wanted psycho sadist to have a really evil type name… Akuma means devil and all you Inuyasha otakus know that Naraku means Hell. I never did think up a name for creepy stalker guy tho...but I didn't know what a good creepy stalker type name would be…

Dude... I just noticed it's been nearly a whole year since I first posted this fic


	10. Lost Chapters: OP- TNG

Soooo, Ya. It's been like forever. I know. But I recently got a new computer and while going thru my old files to transfer over I unearthed my old fan fiction.

Here are some chapters of the lost chapters of my OP:TNG arc.

So, looking back, I left off with Nami going into labor.

So I guess to fill in what happened and the direction things where going in…

Nami gives birth to their first son Alex. He's born on Luffy's Birthday.

Next is Serenity a year later... I forget when I was thinking her birthday would be…Then I had this idea for an Arc where Sanji's dad dies but then had the idea of him and Sanji's mom sort of coming back and being reincarnated as Sanji and Nami's twins, Xander and Lily…I thought it was rather romantic, but some of my friends thought it was a little creepy -_- Well I think it's sweet and romantic, so there. The Next Gen arc picks up with Alex and Serenity in High School.

**One Piece: TNG**

**Alex and Serenity conspire to keep a secret. **

Serenity, 16 and second oldest child of Sanji and Nami, was returning home. She went in thought the back way to avoid going through the crowed restaurant, and also in hopes no one would notice that she was coming back so early.

No such luck.

"What are you doing back so early?"

Serenity jumps startled at the sudden voice. She spins around to see who it is.

It was Sanji sitting on the swinging love seat in the shadows of the Restaurant's back dining patio. This time of year it was too cold for people to eat out side so the patio was empty.

"Daddy? You startled me. What are you doing back here?"

"Taking a break." Sanji says casually

Serenity raises an eye brow "You? Take a break? Mom can hardly pull you away from the kitchen for 5 seconds. She has to force you to take a lunch break."

"Ya, well she forced me to take a five minute break." Sanji leans back and takes a drag off his cigarette

"Daddy!? Since when do you smoke?" Asks Serenity in surprise

Sanji smiles and gave a small laugh. "I've been smoking since I was 10 sweetie."

"Really?" Serenity pulls her jacket tighter and goes to sit by her father.

"I quit for a while when your mother was pregnant and when you and Alex were still babies. But after Granddad died…" Sanji was silent for a bit thinking about his father. His death was still hard on Sanji. His father wasn't around when Sanji was growing up. And soon after he became apart of Sanji's life again, he was taken away by sickness.

Serenity sensed her fathers sorrow and took his hand and put her head against his shoulder.

It made Sanji feel better. Serenity lived up to her name. She had a great claming effect on him. Like the way her mother could keep him from getting angry Serenity could keep him from sinking into depression. Sanji's fathers words echo in his mind.

"…_You know why I didn't go completely insane after I lost your mother? Why I didn't follow her immediately to the next world? Because of my child, because of you son. I still had an attachment to this life. I still had a piece of her out there…"_

Sanji smiled remembering this and squeezed his daughter's hand. She squeezed his back.

"I started up again the day he died. But made sure I never smoked around you kids. I don't smoke nearly as much as I use to. When your mother first met me, I was hardly ever seen without a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. But now, it's an occasional thing. Some times I just need to take the edge off things."

"Bad day daddy?" asked Serenity "You get in a fight with one of the chefs again?"

"Naw, some things just been bugging me and I can't ignore it any more. But enough about that, why are you back so early?" Sanji asked casually. "I thought you had a date."

Serenity had a bad feeling "Better me be early that late and have mom chew me out." She said trying for casual "You don't approve of me dating in the first place; I figured you of all people would be glad I came home early."

"That's very true." Nodded Sanji following his daughter's logic, but Sanji and Nami where masters of the game of tap dancing around a subject and misdirection. They had to be when they got disgruntled parents trying to pick fights with them over how to raise their children. Having ex-pirates for parents didn't sit well with the PTA. The children learned from their parents about how to dodge questions about their family's background and "_being raised in such a dreadful, immoral and debauched family situation_" Serenity was good at throwing the neighbors off her case, but with her own father she'd have to do better. "But even though I don't approve of you dating, your mother feels you're mature enough and I trust her judgment."

Serenity laughs "Isn't that just a fancy way of saying mom has you whipped?" She jokes continuing her tap dance.

"The fact that your mom has me whipped is entirely beside the point." Sanji counters slyly "She's has an impartial unbiased train of thought when it comes to you girls, and like wise with me and the boys. She and I work together and have your best interest at heart. Your mother explained to me that instead of thinking of my own selfish desires to keep you locked away until your 30, to try and think about your happiness. It's only because of her unmatched debate and reasoning she presented on your behalf, and the fact we were sure we beat into your head the consequences of any and all stupid things you might conceivably try or think of doing, that I let you leave the house with a male that wasn't one of your brothers in the first place. Thus is the reason I inquire about your quick return to captivity after so much effort was taken to give you freedom in the first place. It leads me to believe something's up. Plus the evidence that you're _sneaking_ back in doesn't weigh good for your case either."

"Daddy you're so paranoid." Serenity brushing off her fathers accusing inquiries. "And I wasn't _sneaking,_ the restaurant is busy this time of night, I wanted to avoid the crowd. Why would I sneak in _early_?Don't teenagers usually try to sneak in _late_, or sneak _out_?"

"Your logic is sound." Nodded Sanji. "However, the fact that you're back early isn't the only incriminating factor here. One could assume your date went badly; you had a fight or something. But your attitude doesn't indicate that. You seem very calm composed and unruffled. You show no signs of emotional stress one would have if they had a fight or an otherwise unpleasant evening. The fact that your were coming in thru the back patio, where no one usually is this time of year and not the side kitchen entrance where I and the other chefs who all know you would see you, points toward trying to come in unnoticed, one definition of _sneaking_. Yes Serenity my dear sweet little princess, your father is indeed paranoid. But there's a good reason for that. I'm sure your mother has you well informed."

"Hu oh." Serenity thought. She knew she was in trouble when her father called her his 'dear sweet princess'. It meant that he knew she was trying to play him or mislead him. And Nami did have her well informed about Sanji's paranoia and aversion to being lied to and deceived. Nami had told her daughters all about how other women had used and hurt Sanji. Serenity knew how much her father suffered in the past and that he would be crushed thinking she was hiding something from him. The guilt kicked in. Sanji had her.

"Daddy it's nothing bad I swear." She caved

Sanji smiled inwardly "Ah sweet guilt." He thought "Who needs groundings and time out when you can just guilt your children into being strait with you."

"Please don't feel bad." Serenity said despairingly "It's not like I have some wild secret life I'm hiding from you."

"I know sweetie. I know." Sanji stopped his fretting daughter and put his arm around her shoulders. "I understand. You're a teenager. It's your nature to be secretive and want privacy. I know you have secrets. If I really wanted to pry, I would have read the diary you keep under the false bottom of your drawer."

Serenity sighed with relief hearing her father joke about the diary she had which was a notebook she had hearts and rainbows and unicorns drawn all over it. "Daddy, I stopped writing in that thing when I was like 10. You wouldn't find out anything from it anyway."

"Ya, I figured that out when I was done reading it." teased Sanji

Serenity smiled. After a moment she asked. "Sooo, if you know I'm not hiding anything major, why the 10th degree?"

"Because though _you're_ not hiding anything major from me, I know you're being an accomplice for someone who _is_. Don't think I haven't noticed Alex's strange behavior."

Serenity cursed herself into letting her father lure her into a false sense of security. "Damn he's just too good." She fretted, mind racing "But wait, he can't know everything, that's why he's tiring to get information from me." she moved to intercept "Daddy…"

But Sanji cut her off again "No, no. It's ok. I'm not going to violate your sibling solidarity."

"Your not?" Serenity wondered

"Your brother swore you to secrecy, I'm sure. You have no obligation to tell me anything." Said Sanji

"No, but in the mean time you'll let me stew in my guilt knowing that your sulking about Alex hiding something from you and me helping him hide it." Serenity said cynically

"Ah, so Alex _is_ hiding something." Sanji grinned mischievously

Serenity cursed under her breath "I can't believe I fell for that."

Sanji chuckled "I'm kidding. Its _obvious_ Alex is hiding something. My paranoia comes from years of people hiding things from me, so my paranoia is hardly ever me only being paranoid."

"Daddy you're so devious." Serenity sulked "Do you get some kind of sick pleasure watching your kids squirm under integration?"

"Of course." Laughed Sanji "It's one of the perks of parenthood."

Serenity wasn't amused any more. "Mom didn't make you take a break did she?"

"Nope."

"How long have you been waiting here for me?"

"About 20 minutes."

Serenity sighed heavily. She had lost before she had even begun.

"Like I said sweetie, I'm not going to violate your sibling solidarity. Alex is out doing something he doesn't want me to know about and you're helping him do whatever that is. I don't blame you for wanting to help your brother. I can't bring myself to interrogate it out of you, I'm weak against women, and you're my precious little girl. Besides, I much rather have it strait from him instead of dragging it out of you. But I also want to respect his privacy. I know he's hiding something. That's easy enough to read. The thing is teen emotions are hard to read _accurately_. It may seem like what they're fretting about is a little thing, but it actually is a big thing. Like wise they could be fretting a lot over something that's no big deal. So what I want from you, before I decide to confront him or not is…"

"Weather or not it's a big deal you need to intervene in or just some small thing he's all worried over nothing about…" Serenity picking up on her fathers train of thought.

Sanji nodded.

"Well why the hell didn't you say so in the first place?" Serenity getting back her playful sprit. "We could have avoided this whole big drama."

"But drama is what makes life interesting." Smiled Sanji. "Besides, I'm really worried about your brother, and I wanted you to understand the weight of my concern." He said getting serious.

Serenity nodded and understood. Her father was worried about Alex. He wanted to do the parental thing and protect and help Alex, but he didn't want to be too over bearing and respect Alex's space and need for privacy. Serenity had always been aware of the conscious respect he had for her and her siblings. He very rarely pulled rank and gave the 'do it 'cause I said so' or 'I'm the father and I make the rules' spiel. He never said 'No you can't…' it was always 'well if you _wanna_ go and do that, fine but I'll warn you, if you _decide_ to do that, this, that and the other thing could very well happen and _then_ where would you be?' They always had a choice and if they chose the bad choice he didn't rub it in their face that they did something stupid. Only, 'Well, now you know…'

Serenity always appreciated that about her father. If Alex wanted to go and do whatever it is he was doing Sanji wouldn't stop him. But he wanted to know if what he was doing was something that might get him seriously hurt or in trouble so he could at least be there for him if he needed help.

"He's not in trouble is he?" Sanji asked his daughter. "Some issue at school or someone giving him a hard time?"

"No… not really." Said Serenity

Sanji raised an eye brow. "Define 'not really'…"

Serenity sighed "It's complicated… He's not in trouble as long as the thing he's keeping secret stays secret… though the secret itself _isn't_ a big deal… but some people think it _is_ a big deal… and it's not just _his_ secret, another person is involved and the other person who secret it is really _WILL_ be in trouble if it gets out…"

Sanji blinked rapidly a few times "What? Did they witness a murder or something?"

"Don't be silly…" Serenity thought for a moment. She was debating something. She tilted her head to one side turning the issue over in her head. "Honestly…" She started slowly "I think this is one of those things were the person is fretting a lot over something small."

"Ya?" Sanji asked. Feeling a bit relived.

Serenity nodded "The _real_ problem is for the other person, but I don't think Alex has to worry about the thing the other person has to worry about."

"No? Why's that?"

Serenity "Because Alex is…" Serenity tried to say things in a way that would give away what her brother made her swear she wouldn't tell another living soul. "Alex is in a better situation than the other person."

That didn't make much sense to Sanji but he didn't inquire further.

"The big issue," Serenity continues. "is Alex himself is still kind of confused about the whole thing and needs to come to terms with it himself."

"Sooo… It's something Alex should figure out on his own…" Sanji turning the information over in his head "Not something I should get involved in?"

"Well…" Serenity said in that tone that said 'technically but…' "Personally, I really think he should talk to you about it."

"You think?"

"Ya, but…" Serenity paused "Ok, daddy. Don't take this personally, but…he kinda doesn't want to talk to you about it."

Sanji was told not to take it personally but it's kind of like that whole 'don't look down' mentality "Why not? There's nothing Alex can't talk to me about."

Serenity gave her father a sympathetic shrug "Well apparently he thinks this one thing is."

Serenity sighed. She could tell her father was just a little bit hurt hearing that there was something her brother wouldn't talk about with him. "Look daddy. It's nothing against you. It's something Alex has to figure out for himself. It's like he's going thru some kind of identify crisis or something. Like, he has to _find_ himself or whatever. I think once he's worked it out, I think he'll come to you."

"Ya?" Asked Sanji hopefully

Serenity smiled and nodded "Ya. Does that help?"

Sanji nodded. "Ya sweetie it kinda does."

"Don't worry about it kay daddy. I _swear_ if it gets to the point Alex might be in real trouble or something, I'll tell you."

"Promise?" Sanji raised an eye brow.

"Pinky swear." Serenity smiled holding up her little finger.

Sanji locks his pinky with hers sealing the deal.

Serenity stands up and tugs on her father's sleeve "Come inside you've been out here a while, its cold tonight."

"I'll come in a minute." Sanji, holding up his cigarette.

Serenity smiles "Smoking's bad for you daddy."

"Ya, but it makes me look cool."

Serenity giggles and turns and goes inside.

Sanji leans back and sighs "What could Alex possibly think he couldn't talk to me about?"

"Oh Sanji, he's just going through a phase." Says Nami after Sanji consults her about what he found out from Serenity. "We all go through that identity crises stage in our lives. Our kids may have it harder than most kids. Not only is their father a world class world famous chef, but also know as a legendary pirate connected to the Pirate King himself. Robin said Hikaru's going through the same thing. The son of the demon swordsman and the devil of destruction. It's probably just what Serenity thinks, a small thing he's fretting over nothing about.

"But she said there was someone else involved." Says Sanji

"It probably has something to do with his new friend Fredric." Says Nami. "That family just moved here and don't know who we are yet. Maybe his parents don't like pirates and wouldn't want him hanging out with the son of ex-pirates. Remember, he had to deal with that in Jr. High to with his friend Ethan. But now he's in High School and identity and what others think matter to him now. He's probably hiding who his parents are while at the same time struggling with what kind of image he wants."

"But why wouldn't he want to talk to us about it?" frets Sanji

Nami Shrugs "Because he doesn't want to hurt our feelings knowing that he's embarrassed about who and what his parents are."

* * *

So I really don't remember how I had this planed out… but basically Alex's "Big Secret" is that he's gay. He was afraid to tell his dad, since Sanji is known for being such a ladies man and stuff.

I had the scene played out when Sanji finds out what Alex's secret is and goes ballistic.

Sanji would be all like "So that's you're big secret? You're gay?! Alex how could you fucking do this to me?!"

And when Nami and Srenity fail in calming Sanji down and Alex is cowering in a corner thinking his dad is about put a steel leg up his ass, Sanji is just like

"Fuck Alex I thought there was something seriously wrong with you! How could you worry me over nothing like that!"

But then Alex's boyfriend, Ethan's dad is an ex-marine and real homophobe ass. So he really does have to hide it from him. Serenity is "dating" Ethan to keep up the secret.


	11. Lost Chapters: OP- TNG 2

**One Piece:TNG**

**How to stay sane with 4 kids.**

It's Saturday evening.

It was Sanji's night off and he was sitting at the kitchen table reading the evening paper.

Sanji and Nami's second oldest comes in and sits down in a chair by Sanji.

"Hi daddy." She says cheerfully

"Hey sweetie." He beams at his sweet and adorable daughter

"Daddy…" Serenity says in her sweetest voice

"Have you asked your mother yet?" smiles Sanji

"Would you even _believe_ me if I said yes." not liking being shot down before even hinting at wanting something…how did he always know?

Sanji stops and thinks for a moment "Yes." He nods "Yes I would."

"Really?" Serenity trying not to show her surprise

"Yes…though, I'd have the slightest suspicion you might be lying to me and I'd be _devastatingly_ heart broken to think my precious little girl would ever _lie_ to me.

But then, I know _you_ wouldn't lie to me Princess…

Would you?"

Sanji sits smiling sweetly at his sixteen year old daughter with his trusting honest face and kind gentle loving eyes.

Serenity sighs heavily knowing she was beaten "No..."

"That's my sweet little girl." Sanji beams

"That's _totally_ not fair!" Serenity getting up and trudging out of the room "Mom's right: Dad does wield guilt skillfully…"

"Why do you do that dad?" asks Alex, sitting at the end of the table reading a book.

"Do what?"

"Tell Serenity and Lilly to ask mom when they want something?"

"Because son, I'm weak against women and am easily manipulated by them."

Alex raises and eye brow "Damn dad, I know you have this whole blunt honesty thing going on, but man."

Sanji laughs "First of all, watch your fucking mouth."

Alex laughs a smile.

"Second there's no shame in a man admitting his weakness. A truly strong man will see his faults and weakness and admit them. Once you admit you have a weakness or fault or problem you can then go about solving it. You know who taught me that?"

"Who?" Alex knew but he also knew it was better to go with the flow of his fathers random tangents; some times they led some place interesting.

"The King of Pirates"

"Uncle Luffy?"

"Yup! Luffy wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer but he was surprisingly wise. See, he knew he wasn't all that smart and he didn't have very many skills but he sought out people who did. See I know I'm weak against women, so that's why I have you mother help me out when it comes to your sisters. Your mom and I are a team and we work well together."

"Ya you do. A little too well. Makes it hard for us kids to get away with anything." laughs Alex.

"Damn straight." Sanji Nods

At that point Nami comes into the room followed by Serenity.

"But mom! All my _friends_ are gonna be there!"

"I don't care if Gol. D Roger is going to be there, you're not going to a rave."

"Mu-Om! It's _not_ a rave. It's just a dance party at this really cool new club. DJ Jango Jr.'s spinning and it's going be totally wingin'."

Nami raises an eyebrow. "Wingin'?" She looks at Sanji

He shrugs "Apparently it's going to be wingin' dear."

Sanji and Nami look at their eldest.

"Ah that's just the hip new word the kids are using these day. You know how the young wiper snappers are, butchering the spoken language and all."

Serenity makes a face at her brother and he makes one back.

"Come on." Serenity goes back to pleading with her mother "Aunt Robin's letting Hikaru go."

Hikaru was Robin and Zoro's son.

He was about a year older than Alex they all went to the same school.

"Don't you say a word." Nami glaring Sanji's gapping mouth shut.

Nami crosses her arms and thinks. "Is she really? Cause you know I'll call up and ask her."

"Yes, he told me today at school that he was going."

"Well that doesn't necessarily mean Robin gave him permission…it wouldn't be the first time he's snuck out. Even with Robin's hawk eyes, he's like a Ninja that boy."

"No… Aunt Robin said he could if he got A's on all his midterms. And he did, so she's letting him go."

Nami taps a finger on her arm and glances over at her son "Alex you know about this thing?"

"Ya sure." He shrugs indifferently "It's only going to be the_ biggest _event of the year, well until the next _biggest_ event of the year happens. Anyone who's _anyone_ is going."

"Are you wanting to go to this thing?" asks Nami

"Nope."

"Ya mom, Prince Alex and his Court are to _cool_ to trudge around with us commoners." Serenity taunting her older brother

Alex and his friends Ethan, Fredrick and Richard were some of the hottest guys at Going Merry Academy. Alex was some how deemed "Prince" of the school and thus the other three were called his "Court". They had followers and everything. Alex didn't like the attention so much. But of course his modesty only fanned the flame of his popularity.

It bugged him when people called him "Prince" and Serenity knew this.

"Got that right." Alex scoffs playing it off. "I have better things to do with my evening than be mobbed and stalked by a bunch of crazy followers, I get enough of it at school."

"Oh the turmoil and discord of popularity." Serenity cynical

"Ya something _you_ wouldn't know anything about." Taunts Alex

Serenity glares "I'm plenty popular."

Alex smiles "Sorry but your imaginary friends don't count."

"Uh! You're so _gay_!" Serenity shoots back

"Serenity!" Nami scolds

"Well he _is_." Serenity protest

Alex smiles indifferently "You're just jealous I _have_ a boyfriend and you don't."

"As if! I could if I wanted one. There are boys dieing to date me."

"Like who?" asks Alex

"Like Aston Thomas and Jason Stine."

"You made Aston and Jason up in the third grade."

"Did not! Daddy!"

"Don't encourage your sister to date son." Says Sanji

Alex snickers

"Daddy!"

"I mean, don't make fun of your sister's friends."

"I can't make fun of people that don't exist dad."

Serenity glares "Ya well, who pretends to be dating your _precious_ boyfriend so his homophobe dad doesn't find out and freak? I could just dramatically "dump" him in front of everyone and go find someone to date for real. Then you and your beloved would be out of luck now wouldn't you."

Alex glares "You wouldn't."

"Try me." Serenity glares back

"Mom!"

"Don't black mail your brother!" scolds Nami

Alex sticks his tongue out at his sister.

"Mama's boy."

"Daddy's girl."

Both shoot off glares at each other.

Serenity rolls her eyes away from her brother "_Any_way. Can I go mom? Please." Serenity makes Bambi eyes at Nami.

Nami laughs "Sweetie, you are making those eyes at the wrong person."

Serenity turns and makes them at her father. "Daddy?"

Sanji turns to his wife making the eyes "Nami?"

"Ah Fuck!" Nami holds her hand up to the side of her face to block Sanji's look from her sight. "No fair channeling the eyes through your father!"

"Mom, please. It's just a dance club. I'm not going to do anything stupid. You trust me don't you?" Serenity looks at her mother with her sweet honest face and kind gentle eyes.

Well shit.

Nami sighs.

That was the billion beli question wasn't it?

Do you trust your kids?

Do you trust yourself?

Do you have faith that you raised them right and that they'll do the right thing when the time comes?

Nami looks at her daughter.

Serenity had never done anything to betray her or Sanji's trust before.

She was a sweet kind person like her father.

She was also trusting like him… though not as naïve.

She gets half her genes from me in that sense. Nami thinks to herself and smiles inwardly. Sanji's looks and my brains... Alex was the same way too.

Serenity knows better than to sneak out, she knows Sanji would go on a ravenous rampage of worry hunting her down and carry her back over his shoulder kicking and screaming.

We know all of Serenity's friends and their parents…

Plus Hikaru would be there… he could be a little punk some times, but he was basically a good person like his father…

Nami sighs. "Fine."

"Yes!" Serenity triumphant

"But you're gonna be home by ten."

"Oh come on! It won't even get going until nine. Midnight?"

"10:30." Nami re-crosses her arms

"11:45"

"10:45"

"11:35"

Nami raises an eye brow

Serenity smiles and raises her eye brows hopefully. "11:30?"

Nami sighs. "11:30." She gives in ". Walking in the door at exactly 11:30 and not a second later."

"Yay!" Serenity hugs Nami and bounces off.

"Damn that girl is some negotiator." Say Nami sitting down across from Sanji.

"She gets it from you dear." Smiles Sanji

"Ya I know, it's like I'm like arguing with myself. Takes a lot out of me… I wonder if she'll really be ok…"

"It'll be ok mom." Says Alex. "It's just gonna be a bunch of high school kids anyway. The place is really good about keeping out the menaces and trouble makers. Plus Serenity can take care of herself and her friends will be like bodyguards. You know how female groups are, guys might be able to talk to Serenity but there's no way a guy will be able to separate her from the pack…"

"Ya I hear that." Says Sanji

Nami gives him a look.

"What?" Sanji asks defensively

"Nothing." Nami turns her head away

Alex smiles. "Hikaru says Aunt Robin tells him Dad use to be a real player back in the day."

"Ya, a wanna be player… he'd hit on anything that looked good in a skirt but kept getting shot down." Laughs Nami

"I didn't get shot down _all_ the time. I ended up dating lots of girls."

Nami raises an eye brow.

Sanji looks away "True they only wanted me for my body, would care nothing for me or me feelings and I would usually end up being dumped for some shit head jerk."

Alex winces "Ooh Dad, ouch."

"Ya…Son let me just tell you right now, being a nice guy sucks ass when it comes to dating."

Alex laughs. "That so?" This tangent looks like it's gonna go someplace interesting, Alex thinks to himself.

"Ya… It's good to be a nice guy, don't get me wrong," Sanji continues "But no one likes a goody goody and no one likes a 'Mr. Prefect, I'm so good at everything'." Sanji points at his son "You better watch yourself. If you keep being all respectable, decent and nice you'll be in trouble later on."

Alex laughs.

"You need something that gives you an edge." His father continues on his tangent

"Well the King of Pirates _is_ my Godfather and my dad use to be one of his lead enforcers who taught me how to kick ass like he does…"

Sanji nods "Ya there is that…but you also need some kind of fault to go with it…"

"Well there is the whole being "queer" thing." Alex doing the quotes with his fingers

"Nah, everyone's gay these days, isn't it like 'all the rage' now?"

Alex laughs "Dad, don't say 'all the rage' ever again."

"What I'm not cool enough or something?" Sanji says in mock offence

"No, it's just no one out of high school is aloud to say it. It's like the law or something."

Sanji laughs. "But seriously you need to have some kind of weakness or fear or people will think you're not human or something, plus it gives major you empathy points... You afraid of high places?"

"Nope."

"Enclosed spaces?"

"Nope."

"Sankes?"

"Nu uh."

"Aren't you sacred of clowns?"

"That was Serenity when she was four after Uncle Ussop told us about Uncle Luffy's adventure with Buggy the clown pirate who's body parts flew around attacking people. Gave her nightmares remember? She though the body parts would fly and chase after her…"

"Oh ya… Well, don't you have a fear of the ocean after that one time you went out on a voyage with your mother when you were little and that big storm hit?"

"Also Serenity and she got over it a few years ago."

"But something _did_ happen with you on that voyage…"

"Ya I got sick during the storm and threw up on mom's maps. She likes to tell that story to all of my friends."

Sanji laughs "Oh ya…Hmm." Sanji thinking "You need some kind of dark edge. Like a tragedy in your past or dark alter ego, or both, people like that kind of thing, makes you seem more interesting. If you're just good looking that's boring, people like the drama of a dark angsty personality."

"Either that or being completely insane and unhinged like your father works too." Nami jumps in taunting Sanji

Alex laughs.

"I maybe insane dear _and_ unhinged, but I function. Until I become a danger to myself and or others you can't commit me! And if you take me in I'm dragging you along with me."

"Oh! I'm am no where near the level of insanity you are 'Mr. mamas boy who's mother died a tragic and horrific death."

"I wouldn't be throwing stones 'Mrs. my foster mother got shot in the head by the pirate I ended up having to work for." Sanji shoots back

Alex smiles suppressing laughter and sits back to watches his parents go at it.

Oh ya, this tangent defiantly lead somewhere interesting.

Serenity comes back into the room and sits next to Alex.

"Ooh." She whispers to her brother "Are mom and dad having a 'discussion' again?"

"Yup."

"What's it about this time?"

"Who has the more dark and tortured past that's going to make them ultimately go completely insane."

"I have 2 prep shifts that say its dad."

Alex "Make it 4, I think dad definitely has something on mom…"

By shifts, they meant shifts they worked at the restaurant. Even though they were rich, Sanji and Nami still made each of their children work part time at the restaurant to earn their pocket money. Learn the value of a Beli and all that. The prep shift was the early morning kitchen shift devoted to prep work, mostly slicing and dicing the fruits, vegetables and cuts of meat that would be used throughout the day. It was tedious grunt work reserved for newbie chefs at other restaurants, but at the Restaurant Celest, those shifts were reserved for the kids. When ever Nami and Nami had a "discussion" Alex and Serenity like betting away those shits on who would win.

Sanji and Nami had developed and system of free and open speech. Just say whatever the hell was on your mind. No subject was taboo or off limits. It was better to get it out there instead of letting it bottle up and fester. Their relationship excelled because of it. After awhile there was nothing they couldn't say to each other, no secret they would keep from each other. Complete and open honesty. After a while there was nothing really to hide, nothing really to fight about. Thus Sanji and Nami never had real fights any more. They never got angry and yelled at each other. They didn't even really seriously argue about anything. So they had these 'discussions' in places they felt other couples would normally have 'fights'.

They would throw things back and fourth at each other or talk shit and it was all good. There were no hard feelings about anything that may have been said.

The children took after them as well.

Their little fights and talking shit back and forth wasn't done out of real spite or malice.

The kids actually got along very well and were really close.

Serenity respected her older brother and looked up to him and Alex was very kind and caring towards his younger siblings, he and Serenity where best friends.

The twins where naturally close and might as well have been conjoined twins.

Xander adored his younger twin sister Lilly and was very protective of her.

He got in trouble a lot because he wouldn't hesitate getting up in the face of anyone who bothered Lily or punch out anyone who made her cry. He was very much his father's son.

Sanji and Nami's 'discussions' were like duels with wooden swords or paint ball guns. A battle of skill and wits, it might sting a bit but no one got seriously hurt.

It would usually end in tears, or laughter, mostly both.

Plus it was all very entertaining to watch.

"I got over that." Nami says defiantly "I got closure. In case you didn't see even though you were _there_ when it happened, the bastard got the shit beat out of him and his castle of oppression crumbled to the ground. And even before that, I was openly active in a plot of vengeance, which helped in my suffering. Which is more than I could say for you, Mr. 'Oh after my mommy died a horrible death no one would talk about it so I had to keep it all bottled up inside and let it fester into a big emotional scar…"

"Ya, Nami, that's true." Sanji nods "And then some made me open that big festering emotional scar forcing me to relive that whole horrific tragic ordeal…" Sanji looks as if he was holding back tears… which everyone knew was all theatrical.

"Ooh. Poor guy." Says Alex all commentator like. "Talk about adding insult to injury. Maybe you're right Senny."

Senny was Alex's nick name for Serenity, 'cause when he was little he couldn't pronounce his sisters name right, he could only say it as 'Senny'. The name stuck, but her siblings are the only ones Serenity will let call her that.

"Hmm, I don't know Alex." Serenity replies back "I wouldn't feel sorry for dad yet; he can be cunning if he wants to…I think you're right that he has something on mom… let's watch and see…"

Sanji looks up as Nami. "But that was only _after_ that certain someone had finished shattering my heart into so much dust…when all I wanted was to love that someone with all of my heart and be loved in return." Sanji sniffs "They said things to intentionally push me away and cause me pain and _then_ dragged my poor dead mother into it only to inflict _more_ pain and agony."

Now it was Nami's turn to (pretend) hold back tears. "You told me you forgave me for that." She breathes

"Gasp." Says Serenity and Alex

"I did Nami. I did forgive you. I'd forgive for anything. And you know that."

"Stop it." Nami says in theatrical distress. But Sanji doesn't stop his eyes go a bit wide and half crazed

"Oh yes Nami, _I_ forgave you, but _you_ never forgave _yourself_. Did you? Did you?"

Nami buries her face in her hands in shame.

"Even after all these years, it still haunts you. Doesn't it?"

Nami's trembling with her face still covered with her hands. After a minute she couldn't hold it in any more.

She cries tears of laughter. "Damn it!"

Nami lost this round

"Oh Ya!" Sanji victorious

Alex and Serenity are stunned

"Wow. Amazing…" Alex commentating "I thought she had Dad there for a minute but then bam! Guilt bomb! And the technique… he hardly did anything… just let her collapse in on herself"

"Dad's guilt wielding skills are unmatched…" Comments Serenity.

"That's right!" Nami pointing a finger at her daughter "This is the punishment I get for using and manipulating men all those years before, and exactly why I give you a hard time about trying to manipulate your father and brother. I'm not going to have my daughter become one of _those_ women."

Sanji turns to Alex "See son, this is why I'll win every other discussion your mother and I will ever have." He says in a calm voice as if he were explaining to his son any other everyday fact about life. "If you can wield it and get it to work in your favorer, guilt is the best weapon one can have."

Alex nods "Thanks dad I'll remember that."

"Also remember Son" Says Nami in an equally calm voice "Your father's a freak."

Alex laughs

"Ya…" Sanji admits "And you knew that and married me anyway. Why is that?"

Nami's eyes turn devious and playful "Because you an absolute god in bed."

Alex and Serenity do the TMI flinch.

"Ew!" says Serenity

Nami turns to her children. "What! So your parents have sex. Where do you think you came from? I _know_ we gave you the talk."

"Ya, but still…" says Serenity

"What? Still what?" demands Nami.

Sanji leans over to his wife and loudly whispers "I think they're at that age now where it's really gross to think about their parents having sex…"

"Is that so?" says Nami curiously "I never remember going through a stage like that when _I_ was growing up… oh, maybe it has something to do with the fact I didn't _have_ parents anymore when I was their age. Did you ever go through something like that Sanji?"

"No not really… my parent's weren't really around when I was that age either, and Zeff wasn't what one would call a ladies man…"

Alex leans over to his sister and whispers loudly to her. "I think they're implying that we should be lucky to even _have_ parents to be gross out by at this point in our lives."

Sanji laughs

"I guess…" Serenity says

"But I like when Mom and Dad have sex." Says Alex

"WHAT!" Serenity and Nami not hiding their shock and horror.

"Yup. 'cause that's usually when they'll just give us a big wand of cash without counting it and tell us to go find something to entertain ourselves for awhile…"

"Oh ya…" Serenity nods "I got like 1000 beil once. Me and my friends totally went on a major shopping spree."

Nami glares at her smart ass son with his big satisfied grin.

He has the same grin his father does. She thinks.

She then turns to glare at her husband.

Sanji blinks "What? Wha'd I do?"

"Dad, come on." Says Alex. "You should know by now everything's your fault. You know, even if it's really not, it still is."

Sanji nods "Oh ya… you know for a gay guy you know straight relationships really well. You're so clever son. Serenity, why can't you be more like your brother?"

"Uh! What? I'm clever!"

"Oh sweetie." Says Nami "You know Alex does no wrong being the first son and Lilly's the favorite girl cause she's the baby, and Xander gets the _rest_ of the attention being the token "trouble child"… so you're just the ignored middle child that will always be in the shadow of your prefect golden boy brother… you should know this by now."

"Oh ya…" Nods Serenity.

"So sweetie do you see how your mother and I stay sane with four kids?" Asks Sanji

"Um…you don't?" answers Serenity

"Exactly." Beams Sanji

"Glad _I_ won't have to worry about that." says Alex

"Thank god." Says Sanji "Don't have to worry about you knocking up some girl… or getting knocked up… damn it Serenity why can't you be like your brother?"

"What! Now I'm getting flack 'cause I'm not gay?"

"Told you sweetie." Says Nami

Alex gives Serenity a Cheshire cat grin.

Serenity sticks her tongue out at him.

"Well sorry daddy, we _all_ can't be gay… _one_ of us needs to pass on your genes…" Serenity pats Sanji on the shoulder.

"Hmm, there is that." Sanji nods "Well then I'm just going to have to lock you up until you're 30."

"Sorry, daddy, Uncle Ussop taught me how to pick locks…its how I got out of my chastity belt..."

"Damn. Well fine then, you're forbidden to date and the only clubs you can hang out at are the clubs Alex does."

"No way!" protests Alex "She'll totally cramp my style."

"_Anyways." _Serenity laughs "Speaking of clubs I gotta go meet Janet and Ronnie."

She gets up and kisses Sanji on the cheek "Night daddy." She goes around to kiss Nami "Bye mom."

"Have fun sweetie." Says Sanji

"Kay!" Serenity calls as she heads out the door.

Alex stretches and stands up. "I should get going too."

"You heading out?" Asks Sanji

"Ya. I'm gonna meet the guys and we're gonna go hang out at that super secret underground hang out that's all dark and shady and you need a password that's checked by a big ugly dude with a lazy eye. Well play some Russian roulette, while smoking crack and doing shots. You know, same old thing."

"Ok son. Don't stay out too late." Says Sanji casually reading his paper

Nami gives them a look trying hard not to be amused.

Alex leans down to kiss his mother good night. "We'll stop in at the club and check up on Senny later." He pats Sanji on the shoulder on his way past.

"Night sweetie." Says Nami

"Night son."

Alex holds up a hand as he walks through the door.

Nami looks at Sanji and smiles.

Sanji smiles back taking Nami's hand that was resting on the table.

They had good kids.

True they where a handful and they've had some pretty stressful moments, but all and all, things where all right.

"So Nami my love. The twins are away camping with Luffy, Ussop, and Chopper and our two oldest just went out for the night…"

"Are you hinting at something Sanji dear?" Nami asks smiling mischievously

"No, no just making an observation." Sanji smiles slyly "Unless, there's something you might think of for us to do, given our rare situation…"

Nami's smile gets wider "I could think of a few things."


	12. Lost Chapters: OP-TNG 3

One Piece: TNG

Alex's Court.

"K' man. We're all cool about the fact you are all happy and lovey dovey in your blissful little bubble over there…but at least have a little bit of modesty. I mean, can't you guys make out in private?"

Alex grins deviously and his friend Fredric "You wouldn't be saying that if one of us was a chick."

"Well…true…I know, to each his own and all that, but sorry it's still weirding me out to see two guys going at it."

"Sorry. We kinda zone out and forget anyone else is around." Says Alex "You guys have been really great about it and we appreciate that. We'll try to be good."

"Ah, let's blow this place." Said Richard. "Hey Freddy, your folks are away again right? We can show the new guy your place. Your dad just got that new pool table right? We can play while the newly weds here get it on in the other room."

"Ya sure thing." Said Freddy. "Oi, Romeo and Romeo. Come on, we're moving shop to my place. You guys can fuck like rabbits if you want."

"Sweet." Says Alex. "Hey you think we can crash the night there too."

"Ya sure, no problem."

"Cool. Let me just call my folks and let them know." Said Alex reaching for his moble mushi

"Eh? Checking in?" asked the new guy Daniel "What his folks a bunch tight asses?"

Richard and Freddy looked at each other and laugh.

"What? What's so funny?" The new guy asked

"Naw, man Alex's parents are cool."

"Shh." Alex hissed as some one picked up on the other line

"Thank you for calling Restaurant Celest. Would you like to make a reservation?" Said a woman's pleasant voice.

Alex laughed "So mom has you working tonight too Dee."

The voice dropped the polite formality and an exasperated sigh could be heard "Hey Alex," Sighed Delia. "Ya, _Mistress_ has me working 'til closing… _again_."

Alex laughed "Again…isn't this like the 4th night in a row? How do you let her talk you into it each time?"

"Well you know how persuasive your mom can be…"

"Ya, I hear you… she around?"

"Na…she's off yelling at one of the dumb ass chefs over at Baratte."

"Then could you pry dad from the kitchen for a sec." Alex knew even though it was Sanji's night off, he'd still be in the kitchen supervising things.

"Ya sure. Hang on."

A moment later Alex heard his father's voice on the line.

"Hey son, what's up?"

"Nothing much." Alex said casually "Just going over to Freddy's. Hanging out, though Ethan and I are probably just gonna end up fucking the whole time so we're staying the night."

"Freddy's parents are out of town again." Sanji made it a statement

"Yup." Alex says straight out. "Gone til…when?" Alex directing the question to his friend.

"Wednesday." Called Freddy, "Off to Carlo Island this time… I think. They left a number…some where…"

Sanji sighs "Alex…"

"I know, I know. I'm dragging him over for Sunday dinner kicking and screaming."

"I'll be there bright eyed and bushy tailed Mr. S." Says Freddy

"Looking forward to having you. Anyway, how's your stash of booze holding up?" Asked Sanji moving on "You guys need it restocked?"

Alex turned to his friends "Guys?"

"Naw I think were good." Said Richard "We still have some of that Mic's Malt Liquor left over from our last kegger."

"Aw, what are you guys drinking that crap for?" Asked Sanji, "I have some Captain Jack's Spiced Rum if you want."

"Thanks but maybe next time. We have to finish the crap we have…not good being wasteful you know."

"Kay, well don't drink too much son, you have the prep shift in the morning and I'm not letting you out of it just 'cause you got a hang over."

"No I don't, Serenity's taking care of it for me."

"Betting away your shifts with your sister again?" Sighed Sanji

"Yup." Grinned Alex

Sanji sighs "You know you shouldn't gamble son. It's a bad habit that can lead to a big problem later on."

Alex laughed "Betting against my sister isn't a gamble dad, it's an investment. I know better not to get suckered into any real bets."

"That's right you know better. But you still shouldn't be trying to wiggle your way out of work."

"I'll help out with the lunch rush. How's that? Give poor Delia a break."

Sanji laughed "She'll be grateful I know. Oh, and if there's some poor guy in need of some extra cash or some weary fella that's all alone and needs a home cooked meal…they're welcome to come along with you."

"Sure thing Mr. S" says Richard

"What's tomorrow's lunch special?" Asks Freddy

"Roast beef sandwiches with garlic toast." Said Sanji

"Ooh! With that Aus su dipping sauce I like?" asks Freddy

"Yup."

"Woot! Count me in. Ooh hey, we have a new guy. Needs hazing."

"Baptism by fire? Or feed him to the lions?" Comes Sanji voice with a mischievous tone.

Alex looks over Daniel who was starting to look a bit uneasy. "Hmm, I'd say Feed him to the lions… But Delia has to be gentle. It's his first time."

Sanji laughs "Hey Dee, the boys have a newbie for you to break in."

"Ooh, yay." Comes Delia's voice "It's been awhile since I've had a virgin…"

"Ya, though Alex says you have to be gentle." Says Sanji

"Aw, that's no fun." Delia pouts

"No scaring him for life on the first day Dee." Says Alex "We're working the lunch rush tomorrow so you owe us one."

"Aww Alex you're a sweetie. I always did like you best." Beams Delia

" Oi! Sanji!" Comes another voice Alex recognized as Erick, Sanji's apprentice and assistant head chef.

"Coming! Gotta go. See you tomorrow son."

"Ya night dad."

"Night boys." Sanji calls

"Night Mr. S." they call back in unison as Alex hangs up.

"Woah…" Says Daniel. "Was that really your dad?"

"Uh hu." Says Alex

"We told you, Alex's parents are cool." Says Freddy

"They don't care that you're gonna be at a friends house without his parents being home?" asks Daniel

Alex laughs "Nah, they know Freddy's a good guy."

"And he doesn't care that you're having sex?"

"We're both guys so it's not like either of us are gonna get knocked up." Says Ethan

"And we were both virgins our first time together and we don't sleep around so it's not like we'll catch anything, so dad doesn't care." Says Alex. "It would be a bit different if it were my sisters. Lilly's not quite at that age yet, but Mom's beat it into their heads where babies come from. She was like, "If you have sex you could get knocked up and if the guy's a bum dumb ass dick wad and runs off then you're stuck with a kid and then where will your life be? Sure dad and I will help you out, but just think about how much your life will change. You have your whole life to have kids." Alex laughs. Then mom was like "I'm not saying save yourself for marriage or anything… that's just stupid. I mean you gotta take a test drive before you commit to anything... you think I would have married your dad if he was lousy in bed?"

"Your mom really said that?" asked Daniel

"Ya." Alex laughed "Dad wanted to have something to say about the whole thing but mom gave him a look… then mom's like "Let me know and we'll go see Kaya about birth control." Dad's head just about exploded. And mom's like "What? It was _your_ idea to be up front with them about sex…"

"Well that's all understandable I guess… but…they let you get away with drinking?"

The boys all look at each other and start laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" Daniel not liking not being in on the inside jokes.

"You tell him Alex." Says Richard

"Ok, ok. So last year, we get it in our heads to have a drinking party at Freddy's when his parents are out of town one weekend. So we all go to grab a bunch of booze out of the restaurant's liquor storage. But dad catches us red handed. And is all like "Just where do you think _you're_ going?" We all thought 'Oh shit!' But then Dad was like "I can't believe it. My own son, _stealing_ from his family. That's pretty low."

Were all like "Eh?" and dad's like "Don't you 'eh' me... you have any idea what that all costs the restaurant?" He was more upset that we were stealing than the fact we were planning to go out drinking.

We all just look at each other and then I decide to be clever and was like. "…Um…we'll pay you back?"

And dad's like "Damn strait you will! Hand it over, let me see what ya got." So we give it to him. And he calculates how much it all costs and how many hours we have to work at the place to pay him back. He gives it all back to us and even throws in a bottle of Capitan Jack's and half a bottle Smoinov. But then gets all serious and is like "Careful with the Smoinov. Don't drink it all at once. You can get alcohol poising and die. Seriously. And if anyone passes out roll them on their stomach so if they puke they won't choke. And here, don't drink on an empty stomach." And he gives us a bunch of appetizers to take too."

"Dude!" says Daniel "You serious?"

"I swear!" says Richard "That's totally how it went down. You can even ask his dad. You heard him when he asked about our stash…He gives us all we want and all we have to do is work a few shifts at the restaurant to pay him back."

"Dude, tell him what happen next though." Says Freddy

"Ah ya." Says Alex laughing "So we go to Freddy's place and get _smashed_ right. Totally passed out by morning. And dad comes over, bright and early. Turns on all the lights and is all like "Morning boys!" really loud. Oh man! Our heads are throbbing. And dad laughs and is like "Your heads fell like someone's pounding a dull nail into it doesn't it? Congratulations! You've just had your first hang over boys. It's what you get when you drink 'til you're shit faced... Ok, who puked? Eh? Eh?" he's all cheerful and happy fucking with us. We wanna kill him but our heads hurt too much.

And _then_ dad's like "So boys. What have we learned?"

"Not to drink 'til we're shit faced?" We all moan

"That's right!" dad all grinning like an idiot. "And guess who has work this morning?"

"Aw, man! He made you go to _work_ like that?" asked Daniel

"Yup." Said Alex. "It was only the morning shift so it wasn't busy but man it seemed to drag on for ages. We just wanted to crawl under the table and die. But we learned our lesson, right guys."

"Right." The boys all say.

"Mom and Dad are fine with us doing stuff as long as we're responsible and understand the consequences. They'll warn us about things we shouldn't do, and if we go and do the thing we shouldn't do anyway and it turns out bad then the conversation is:

"We told you if you did the stupid thing X might happen." Alex doing his father

"Ya…" Says Freddy, hanging his head pretending to feel bad

"And you went and did the stupid thing any way."

"Ya…"

"And what happened when you did the stupid thing?"

"X happened and it really sucked."

"Ya I bet it did. So what have we learned?"

"Not to do the stupid thing."

"Damn straight! Your sentence is working the prep for both restaurants for the week with no pay and no help expect your partners in crime. No getting out of it. I'll see you here at 5am. You know there's no where you can hide and no place far enough you can run to."

"Yes sir."

"Told you his parents were cool." Says Freddy "Mine don't even care enough to tell me anything. They wouldn't even warn me or tell me not to do something. Dude. If I ever got in any _serious_ trouble, it's not _my_ dad I'd call. I'd be on the line to Mr. S in a heart beat."

"Wow." Says Daniel

"That's not even the coolest part." Says Ethan

"Eh? It's not? What's the coolest part?"

"Go on." Says Ethan. "Show him your tattoo."

"They let you have a tattoo!?"

Alex laughed "It was their idea." Alex turned around and pulled up his shirt revealing a tattoo of a skull and cross bones wearing a straw hat on his left shoulder blade. Under the pirate mark was the words 'Inner Circle'.

"Holy Cow!" Daniel amazed and impressed "I knew this island is in the Pirate Kings Territory…but you guys are actually affiliated with the inner circle!"

Alex grins "We're _part_ of the inner circle."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Great Sea Warrior 'Capitan Ussop' was the one who gave me the tattoo in the presence of the Pirate King himself… though, us kids just call them Uncle Ussop and Uncle Luffy."

"Hu?" Daniel blinks

"You still don't get it do you?" asked Richard "Alex's dad's name is Sanji and his mom's name is Nami…"

"You mean they're _the_ Black Leg Sanji and Burglar Cat Nami!" Daniel shocked and amazed

"Yup." Grinned Alex

"And you know Hikaru the senior? Green hair, dark aura, quiet and mysterious..." Asks Freddy

"You mean Shadow Spawn!?"

Alex smacks Daniel upside the head "Don't call him that! Hikaru's nice if you get to know him. Thought, now that you mention it…you know why people call him that?"

Daniel shook his head

"Don't you know Hikaru's last name?" asked Freddy

Daniel shook his head again "When ever it's listed it's just the initial, R."

"It's Roronoa." Says Freddy "Roronoa Hikaru. The son of Rorono Zoro and Nico Robin. He's the child of the 'Demon Swords Man' and the 'Devil of Destruction'."

"EEEEHHH!" Daniel fell backwards out of the chair he was sitting in.

The guys all laugh.

"Hikaru has the Mugiwara Mark too." Said Alex "All of us kids do. Me, my sisters and my little brother. Well, you know that I have the same birthday as Uncle Luffy …But he's also my God Father too."

"You have the same birthday as The King of Pirates _and_ he's your God Father!"

"Yup, yup." Grins Alex

The other boys grin too

"You picked the right guys to try and make friends with dude." Says Freddy. "If someone messes with _you_, it means someone's messing with Alex, and if _anyone_ messes with Alex, you face a steal leg up your ass and the Pirate King to answer to."

"Though it also means can't fuck with us and screw us over." Says Alex leaning in, the aura of a true leader emanating from him. "Loyalty, Trust, Friendship, Honor, Pride. These things the Mugiwara hold most dear. If you're loyal to us, we'll be loyal to you. The price of betrayal is your very life and your soul will be damned to the lowest circle of Hell. If you swear your allegiance to us you swear it forever. Do you wish to swear it?"

Daniel blinked up at the boys grinning down at him. At first he thought they were joking around but the next moment he realize they were dead serious. Everything fell into place.

-.-.-.-.-

Prince Alex and his Court, Sr. Ethan, Sr. Fredrick and Sr. Richard as everyone called them. He'd thought it was just a gimmick when he heard about it when he transferred to the school that year. But he sensed something about them. Their aura was overwhelming. Some intensely strong current that had drawn him to these boys. He wanted to be friends with them. But it was hard to get close to them. There were rumors that Alex really was a prince of some kind. That his family owned Cristo Island and they were descendants of Royalty. Others said that the family wasn't really Royalty but they did have connections to other Royalty in other Kingdoms and that they also had connections to high ranking officials in The People's Federation of Unified Nations. In any case, no one could touch Prince Alex or the boys of his inner circle.

He had to join their followers. The Courtiers. The group of students in the school dedicated to the servitude of the Prince and his Court and the upholdment of their Ideals. These boys truly ran the school. They kept order, solved conflicts, protected the weak and oppressed. He had admired that and happily served them. He sat with the other followers at the Courtier's table at lunch, fetching anything they might ask for. He cheered for them in the Courtier's section during sport events or gave them towels or water when it was his turn to be part of bench duty and a great number of other things he did in service of them. It was the only way he could get near them. The only way he could have a chance to speak with them. It was whispered among the Courtiers that Prince Alex would soon choose another member of his court, another person to come into his inner circle. Another person to be close to him. And then it happened. One day after Spring break, he'd received a coveted invitation to Prince Alex's birthday party. He was allowed to enter the special section at the Pirate King Festival were Alex's party was held. It was there he was singled out and called aside and given discreetly a note written by Prince Alex himself saying that he graciously requested Daniel to come to the Restaurant Celest later that night and attend the birthday dinner he has with his family and close friends.

Daniel couldn't believe it. He had been invited to attend such an intimate gathering. How could he deserve such a high honor? He couldn't possibly go. But he went. He dressed in his best outfit. He even wore a tie and everything. He knocked at the door to the restaurant Celest at the designated time and it was answered by Sir Fredrick. Though Daniel had been taken a back by his appearance. Frederick was dressed in a T-shirt and raggedy old jeans and wasn't even wearing shoes. He was use to seeing Sir Fredrick in the school's uniform which the boy had always worn meticulously with nothing out of place. Daniel had been startled when the boy burst out laughing.

"Oi!" Fredrick had called back over his shoulder "You guys owe me 50 beli each. He went all out." Sir Fredrick had then grabbed Daniel's tie pulling and dragging him inside and to a large back corner booth.

It was the kind of booth that horseshoed around a table. Prince Alex was sitting casually in the middle with his arm draped around Sir Ethan's shoulders. The Courtiers had told him that Sir Ethan had been the first member of Prince Alex's Court and thus the closest to him. There had been rumors and whispers about just how close. Some said the two were lovers, others said that they couldn't be lovers since Sir Ethan was discretely dating Lady Serenity, Prince Alex's younger sister, whom he saw there at the table sitting next to Sir Ethan. The two had let people think whatever they wanted and nether confirmed nor denied any thing. But seeing them together in this fashion led him to believe they where much more than just friends. Sir Richard sat on the other side of Prince Alex. Next to Princess Serenity sat a boy and a girl he knew as Lord Xander and Lady Lilly. He knew they were twins and a the younger siblings of Prince Alex and Lady Serenity but this was the first time he's seen them in person. They had only just started attending school in Going Merry Academy's Jr. High section. They were all dressed casually in shirts and jeans. Daniel suddenly felt awkward and over dressed.

Sir Richard came over to him and stood by Sir Fredrick looking him over. Sir Fredrick took the tie he was wearing and rubbed it against his cheek "Oooh Silky. Did you knick it from your dad or something?" Before he could answer Fredrick loosened the tie and moved it so that it was around his head.

Sir Richard reached out and touched his hair "Geez man, how much gel did you put in? It's rock solid." Sir Richard then proceeded to ruffle his hair undoing all the gel he had put in.

Next the boys confiscated his vest and pulled out his tucked in shirt and he found himself being carried and plopped down in the booth right next to Prince Alex. The overwhelming notion of being so close to Prince Alex made his head spin and he suddenly found it hard to breath.

"Don't worry I don't bite." Prince Alex said to him.

"No he doesn't bite." Sir Ethan's smile laced with mischief and debauchery. "He just scratches …and if he's in the mood spanks."

"You know you like it bitch." Alex's smile impish and devious hugging Ethan closer to him.

"Ya, well that's just me." Smiled Ethan

"Ne ne! Nii-chan! Is he gonna be your new friend?" Lady Lilly asked her older brother about Daniel

Prince Alex smiled sweetly at his little sister. "I sure hope so."

Daniel hadn't known what to say. He was moved to find Prince Alex wanted to be his friend.

"Is Hee-chan coming too Alex?" Lord Xander had asked.

"Nah." Said Alex. "Hikaru's spending the King's Festival with his dad this year. Aunt Robin went with him too."

"Your folks left a few weeks ago to spend the King's Festival with Vivi in Alabasta right?" asked Richard.

Vivi? Alabasta? Daniel had thought. Did they mean Queen Vivi? If so then it was true that Alex's family was affiliated with royalty.

"Ya." Said Alex. "Dad left Erik and Jessica in charge and Deila can finally take a vacation. Poor thing. She never has told us what mom has on her."

"Hey guys! Who's hungry?" A tall blond woman came to the head of the table setting down two large trays full of food.

"Ah, Jessica my sweet, I'd eat anything make by your beautiful hand." Said Lord Xander

The woman Daniel now knew as Jessica laughed ruffling the young boy's hair "Ah, you're more like your father everyday Xan sweetie. Dig in guys there's more if you want, but save room for cake."

"Woot cake!" cheered Fredrick

The party had been festive and soon Daniel realized that however princely Alex seemed, he was just a regular guy like him as was the other boys. It didn't take long for him to relax and be himself and by the end of the night he felt as if he had been friends with these boys all of his life.

His mother had been happy to hear he had made friends. Things had not been going so well with them for the past year and a half so it was nice to finally have a bit of happiness.

Daniel had moved to the island with his mother from South Blue to escape the oppression of the vicious Kage Pirate Group that had taken control the year before. His father had been killed by them along with his best friend and a number of other families. They came to Cristo Island because it was right smack in the middle of the Pirate King's All Blue Territory and rumored to be guarded by members of the inner circle. They knew they could find sanctuary. They had wanted to have official affiliation with the Mugiwara's as well. But ask and search as they may, no one on the island would tell them who was in the King's Inner circle. They were only told that the Inner Circle would find them eventually.

Thus Daniel entered Going Merry Academy's High School section. He had intended to find information about the Mugiwara's and gaining affiliation. Not just for his family but also to follow his own dream. He grew up hearing tales of greatness about the Mugiwara Pirate Group and the Inner Circle. The very Circle that declared war on the corrupt World Government and sailed to the end of the Grand Line and back. The Pirate Band that brought calm and peace to a world torn by civil war. He didn't just want affiliation; he wanted to become a Mugiwara pirate himself. But as soon as he laid eyes on Prince Alex he had been entranced and awestruck and was drawn in like a moth to a flame, completely forgetting his mission. It didn't even cross his mind Alex and his family was part of the very Inner Circle he had been looking for. But now it all made sense and fell into place.

Frist the invitation to Alex's birthday party, then the request to have dinner to his family and friends, then the week after, this invitation to hang out with him outside of school.

The Pirate King's Inner Circle had come to him and now one of their Princes was asking him to swear fidelity to him. It was true what the other Courtiers said. Being part of Alex's Court meant swearing loyalty to him. But what they didn't realize was that you weren't just swearing loyalty to Alex, but to The Inner Circle and the Pirate King himself. This was his first step towards his ultimate dream.

Daniel looked up at the boys smiling over him and smiled back. "Yes! Yes I swear it."

* * *

Of Sanji and Nami's children Alex is the one most keen on following the path of a pirate. He has his father's fighting skills and his mother's knack for navigation along with his godfather's sense of justice. Luffy made him a deal, that when he finished school he could join the Mugiwara Armada. As the son of two members of the Inner Circle, Alex's place on the Pirate Kings own ship is guaranteed, however, to gain a numbered rank, he'll still have to prove himself on his own. If Alex succeeds in proving himself, he'll be allowed to Capitan his own ship sailing under the Mugiwara Armada, or sail under his own flag if he should so choose. Alex hasn't made up his mind whether he wants to sail under his own colors or not, but he has already started recruiting his future crew members.

More about Alex's poise:

Ethan: Alex's boyfriend. His dad is an ex-marine and a real bastard. Drunk, abusive the whole 9 yards. They start out friends, but then come closer as they find they have feelings for each other.

Fredrick: Bratty spoiled rich kid. His parents are always off somewhere leaving him to fend for himself. He acts out for attention. Bosses people around because he thinks he's entitled. Since Alex's family is rich Freddy had the false impression that Alex was like him. Shapes up after spending time around Alex and sees how close he is with his family.

Richard: Poor kid from the slums. Was always picked on at school. Had lots of resentment and anger. Picked a lot of fights. Hated Alex and Freddy for being rich and all that. Made the mistake of trying to pick a fight with Alex and Alex formally hands Richard's ass to him. The fight happed to be at the restaurant and Sanji makes Richard work off the damage. During his first shift however Richard sees Alex working there too. He sees that even though Alex's family is rich, Sanji makes the kids work to earn their pocket money. As they work together he gets to know Alex and that he's a really good hard working type guy.

Daniel: "The new kid" was sort of my plot device to explain the dynamics of Alex's group. I didn't really have much of a back story thought out for him yet.

That's really as far as I got with the NG arc.

There was this thing I was thinking of with Hikaru, Zoro's son. He's super smart like Robin, but he's really quiet and people are afraid of him because of his dad. He's looking forward to going of to University so he can sort of start over with a clean slate. But then He's really close with Alex and Serenity, so he'll miss them… mostly Serenity since he's in love with her. But one, he's too shy to tell her and two, with the whole thing of her "dating" Ethan he's torn. He wants to tell Serenity how he feels, but he feels guilty about it since she's dating Alex's best friend and at this point he not in the loop about Alex's sexuality. I had this scene where he meets up with Serenity at the club thing and confesses and she lets him know what's going on…

BTW, I linked to pics I drew of the kids way back when I first started these fics. they're up on my profile


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